Department for Transport

Railways: Seating

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps are being taken to ensure that rail services have enough seating capacity for all expected passengers.

Chris Heaton-Harris: We are working with train operators to ensure that timetables provide capacity where it is most needed. Operators are currently running around 88% of pre-COVID-19 services, while passenger journeys remained under 60% of pre-COVID-19 levels since the end of November.

Ports: ICT

Alicia Kearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether (a) any UK ports use China's LOGINK system and (b) his Department has made an assessment of (i) LOGINK and (ii) China's role in port logistics standards.

Robert Courts: Operational systems and IT platforms are a commercial matter for the ports concerned, and the Department for Transport does not hold records of the systems used by each port or assessments of systems available for procurement by ports. The Department for Transport regulates transport Operators of Essential Services under the Network and Information Systems (NIS) Regulations 2018 to improve standards of cyber security and resilience and is supported by technical advice and guidance from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), as the UK’s national technical authority.

Shipping: Exhaust Emissions

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December 2021 to Question 84353, on Shipping: Exhaust Emissions, whether it is his policy to make collective bargaining agreements a standard condition of employment for seafarers working in green shipping corridors from UK ports.

Robert Courts: A Trade Union must be recognised by the employer for it to enter into collective bargaining with that employer.The recognition of Trade Unions is regulated by the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 and it not the intention of the government to change those requirements specifically for vessels operating on green corridors.

Aviation: Fuels

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 November 2021 to Question 76827 on Aviation: Fuels, what progress his Department has made on assessing the potential merits of (a) regulatory mechanisms and (b) other methods that could be used to encourage the aviation sector to use UL91 fuel; and what discussions he has had on that work with the aviation sector.

Robert Courts: The Secretary of State has asked his officials to speed up work on finding safe alternative unleaded fuel such as UL91. Since then, the Department has engaged with sector stakeholders, international aviation regulators such as the FAA, and aviation fuel manufacturers, to identify effective measures. A survey to understand the sentiment of airfields and aircraft operator clubs has just closed and will be used to inform further policy interventions. Options that could be considered include information campaigns, improving the data and evidence, and measures to affect the relative price or access to different fuels. As this is still at policy development stage, engagement has been by officials, and the Secretary of State has not had significant discussions with the aviation sector on this.

Clean Maritime Council

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December 2021 to Question 84354, on Shipping: Exhaust Emissions, if he will list the members of the Clean Maritime Council that attended the meeting on 16 September; and where that meeting was held.

Robert Courts: The Clean Maritime Council meeting on Thursday 16 September took place at the UK Chamber of Shipping headquarters in London. This was held as a hybrid meeting, meaning that members attended both virtually and in person. The member organisations at this meeting were: British Ports Association, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Department for Transport, ENGIE, European Defence Fund, ING Bank, Innovate UK, Lloyd’s Register, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Maritime Enterprise Working Group, Maritime UK, Maritime London, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, Red Funnel, UK Chamber of Shipping, UK Major Ports Group, United Nations High-Level Climate Champion, University College London, University of Strathclyde, Wightlink and the Workboat Association.

Shipping: Exhaust Emissions

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December 2021 to Question 84351, on Shipping: Exhaust Emissions, if he will ensure that representatives of maritime trade unions are consulted during the delivery of the aims in those declarations; and if he will outline the departmental structures that he plans to use to deliver those aims.

Robert Courts: Trade Unions were consulted in the development of the Department’s Transport Decarbonisation Plan which sets the overarching framework for decarbonising the sector.The ‘Declaration on Zero Emission Shipping by 2050’ and the ‘Clydebank Declaration for Green Shipping Corridors’ represent the beginning of a multi-year process to decarbonise the international maritime sector and develop green shipping corridors.We are now moving to develop these initiatives and delivery structures, including engaging with other States, industry, and stakeholders.

Motor Vehicles: Hydrogen

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 December 2021 to Question 88776 on Motor Vehicles: Hydrogen, what grants are available for the purchase of hydrogen powered cars as of 13 December 2021; and what the time period for those grants being available is.

Trudy Harrison: Government’s approach to delivering our long-term ambitions for greener transport is technology neutral and we are supporting hydrogen where the market favours its use.The plug-in car grant has been in place for over a decade to help reduce the up-front purchase price of zero and ultra low emission vehicles for private motorists and businesses. Funding is currently available until financial year 2022/23. Hydrogen fuel cell cars have benefited from the grant up until March 2020, when a price cap was introduced to focus the grant on more affordable vehicles, where taxpayer funding would have greatest impact. Hydrogen fuel cell cars still benefit from discounted road tax, as well as beneficial company car tax rates which can save drivers up to £2,000 per annum.Alongside this, the Government’s £23 million Hydrogen for Transport Programme is increasing the uptake of fuel cell electric vehicles and growing the number of publicly accessible hydrogen refuelling stations across the UK. The programme is delivering new refuelling stations, upgrading some existing stations as well as deploying hundreds of new hydrogen vehicles. ­

Electric Vehicles: Safety

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the safety of (a) electric vehicles and (b) electric vehicle charging infrastructure for people with heart pacemakers.

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport,  what discussions he has had with representatives of the car industry on the safety of (a) electric vehicles and (b) electric vehicle charging infrastructure for people with heart pacemakers.

Trudy Harrison: I have regular meetings with both representatives of the car industry and Ministerial colleagues about a wide range of issues pertinent to our support for the transition to zero emission driving.The Government regards public safety to be of paramount importance and we require that all electric vehicle technology supported by public funding must clearly demonstrate how it is safe before it is awarded funding.Electric vehicle chargepoints must meet the relevant legislation for electro-magnetic radiation as defined in the Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016 and the Electrical Equipment Safety Regulations 2016 which covers requirements for compatibility with pacemakers. All electric vehicles eligible for the Government’s Plug-in Grant schemes are required to provide evidence that they are compliant with current electrical safety regulations.

Taxis: Carbon Emissions

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps is he taking together with local authorities to help ensure that carbon emissions from taxis are reduced substantially by 2030.

Trudy Harrison: Government is directly supporting the taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) sector to transition to zero emission vehicles through the Plug in Taxi Grant (PiTG) and the Plug in Car Grant, which offset the higher upfront cost of electric vehicles. The PiTG has supported the purchase of over 5,500 vehicles across the UK.Support has also been provided to increase the availability of charging infrastructure to meet driver needs. Government has awarded over £20 million to 27 local authorities to deploy almost 800 rapid and fast chargepoints dedicated to electric taxis and PHVs.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Standards

Neil Parish: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to improve the efficiency of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

Trudy Harrison: The quickest and easiest way to make an application to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is to use its extensive suite of online services. There are no delays in successful online applications and customers should receive their documents within a few days.However, many people still choose or have to make a paper application and the DVLA receives around 60,000 items of mail every day. To help reduce waiting times for paper applications, the DVLA has introduced additional online services, recruited more staff, increased overtime working and has secured extra office space in Swansea and Birmingham. The DVLA has reconfigured its accommodation to safely maximise the number of staff on site and is working hard to process paper applications as quickly as possible.Together with the ending of industrial action, these measures are having a positive impact. The queues are reducing, and customers will continue to see an improving picture in terms of turnaround times.

Large Goods Vehicles: Concrete

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer on 28 October 2021 to Question 62817on Large Goods Vehicles: Concrete, whether he plans to publish the impact assessment.

Trudy Harrison: The impact assessment done at the time of the Goods Vehicles (Plating and Testing) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2017 is published online alongside the regulations and is available to view via legislation.gov.uk.

Railways: Midlands

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the economic benefits for the Midlands from the roll-out of smart ticketing as outlined in the Integrated Rail Plan.

Chris Heaton-Harris: This year’s spending review set aside £360 million investment to modernise industry ticketing and retailing systems. This includes an expansion ofpay-as-you-go travel on rail to more than 700 stations in urban areas across the country.This investment will deliver significant benefits to passengers in the Midlands and other areas by making the process of paying for travel convenient and simple, removing the uncertainty from having to select a ticket in advance. It also frees up staff to support passengers, unlocking economic benefits as people have more flexibility in how they travel. Our assessment will be developed and refined as the project progresses to ensure that the full economic potential to the Midlands is realised.

Bus Services: Rural Areas

Sir Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has been made of the adequacy of bus services in (a) rural and (b) coastal communities; what assessment he has made of the role bus services have in enabling access to (i) NHS appointments, (ii) social care provision and (iii) dental services; and what steps his Department has taken to ensure that the National Bus Strategy will support rural communities with a limited access to the rail network.

Trudy Harrison: Local authorities have recently published Bus Service Improvement Plans, which provide an assessment of existing services in their area, including detail of current provision for rural and coastal communities. Government supports local authorities working with partner agencies to improve bus access to amenities and services – including health and social care needs.The Strategy encourages consideration of Demand Responsive Transport for large workplaces with anti-social hours, such as hospitals and in areas where demand is more dispersed, and the distances involved make it more challenging to maintain or provide services which meet residents’ diverse needs.We have already established a Rural Mobility Fund (RMF) worth £20 million to trial more demand responsive services and have awarded funding to 17 pilot projects. The first pilots have recently launched. The RMF provides us and local authorities with an opportunity to better understand the challenges associated with introducing bookable bus services in rural and suburban settings.

Ambulance Services: Carbon Emissions

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on mitigating levels of carbon emission from ambulances.

Trudy Harrison: The Government is employing a wide range of measures to accelerate the transition to zero emission vehicles, including specialist vehicles such as ambulances. Further, at COP26, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced that all four UK health services have made the landmark pledge to become net zero emission.Reducing emissions from emergency service vehicles is an important part of the Office for Zero Emission Vehicle’s (OZEV) research and development programme. For example, OZEV has provided £1.9 million of funding to support the development of a prototype for the London Ambulance Service. The electric-hydrogen ambulance is the first in the world capable of travelling 300 miles before needing to be charged. OZEV has also supported the Yorkshire Ambulance Service to trial hydrogen vehicles as part of its £2 million Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Fleet Support Scheme.

Railway Stations: Parking

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will ensure that no additional funding provided to Transport for London is used to fund projects to build over station car parks.

Trudy Harrison: Transport in London is devolved and the responsibility of the Mayor and Transport for London (TfL). It remains the responsibility of the Mayor to make planning decisions, including on station car parks, as part of his wider transport strategy.

Public Transport: Protective Clothing

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to (a) inform people about and (b) encourage people to comply with the requirement to wear a face covering when travelling inside a public transport vehicle and when in indoor transport hubs in England, unless they are exempt or have a reasonable excuse; and if he will make a statement.

Trudy Harrison: Following the Prime Minister’s announcement, which set out the requirement to wear face coverings on public transport, unless exempt, the Government has published updated safer travel guidance, issued communications and worked closely with transport operators to disseminate this information to the public.We trust that the public will comply with this requirement and continue to play their part in supporting the country through the pandemic.

Electric Vehicles: Charging Points

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Prime Minister's announcement of 21 November 2021 that all new homes must include electric charging points, whether the costs of installing those charging points are to be met by housebuilders.

Trudy Harrison: The Prime Minister recently announced that new buildings with associated parking such as homes, supermarkets and workplaces, as well as those undergoing major renovation, will be required to install electric vehicle charge points from next year under new legislation to help ensure a smooth transition to electric vehicles.We expect that the cost of installing a chargepoint in the first instance will fall on the property owner or developer. In order to ensure developers do not incur excessive costs for installing chargepoints, we have introduced an exemption for new residential properties where the installation of a chargpoint would increase grid connection costs by more than £3,600 (although cable routes will still be required). We expect developers will be able to benefit from economies of scale by purchasing charging infrastructure in bulk. This policy will reduce the overall costs of installing chargepoints in homes and avoiding potentially costly retrofitting in the future for consumers and developers.

Abbey Line

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when a determination will be made on whether the application for funding for improvements to the Abbey Line to the Restoring Your Railway Fund will progress to the next stage.

Chris Heaton-Harris: In January 2020 the Government pledged £500 million for the Restoring Your Railway programme to deliver on our manifesto commitment to start reopening lines and stations. A Strategic Outline Business Case for the Abbey Line bid was submitted to the Department in March 2021. The Secretary of State for Transport and I will consider next steps for projects, including the Abbey Line, with a decision on the next tranche to progress anticipated in 2022.

Large Goods Vehicles: Concrete

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer on 28 October 2021 to Question 62817 on Large Goods Vehicles: Concrete, for what reason no additional environmental impact assessments have been made to estimate the effect of the additional lorry journeys needed by replacing 38.4 tonne VCMs with 32 tonne VCMs.

Trudy Harrison: No additional environmental impact assessment has been undertaken because the standard weight limit applicable to 4-axle rigid HGVs is 32 tonnes. The Government amended regulations connected with annual testing and operator licensing but not permitted maximum weights. Only a limited and specific number of volumetric concrete mixers (VCMs) are permitted to temporarily operate at 38.4 tonnes using Vehicle Special Orders. This is to allow the industry time to adjust to the standard legal weight limits.

Blue Badge Scheme: Older People

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of extending the time within which a photo for a blue badge qualifies as recent to over one month, particularly for those aged 75 and over.

Chris Heaton-Harris: The Department has no plans to change current legislation relating to the specifications of photographs for use as identification on the UK Blue Badge.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Business: Coronavirus

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of new covid-19 restrictions on businesses in the (a) retail, (b) tourism and (c) hospitality sectors.

Paul Scully: The Government moved to Plan B in England as it was necessary to control the spread of transmission of the new threat posed by the Omicron variant and the potential impact on businesses. In order to support all businesses across the UK economy throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have provided businesses with an unprecedented support package of £400 billion, including grants, loans, business rates relief, VAT cuts and the job retention scheme. This includes a total of over £26bn in business grants. The Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) fund is open until March 2022. In order to support businesses through this next phase, the ‘Working Safely’ guidance will continue to provide advice on sensible precautions employers can take to manage risk and support their staff and customers. In other sectors, such as hospitality, the guidance says that businesses are exempt from enforcing customers to wear masks and this assessment has been made from a practical point of view given the nature of hospitality visits is to eat and drink.

Business: Coronavirus

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of the introduction of Plan B covid-19 restrictions on the (a) hospitality and (b) retail sectors.

Paul Scully: The Government moved to Plan B in England as it was necessary to control the spread of transmission of the new threat posed by the Omicron variant and the potential impact on businesses. To support all businesses across the UK economy throughout the COVID-19 pandemic we have provided businesses with an unprecedented support package of £400 billion, including grants, loans, business rates relief, VAT cuts and the job retention scheme. This includes a total of over £26bn in business grants. The Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) fund is open until March 2022.

Flight Reclaim: Insolvency

Christine Jardine: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions he has had with the Insolvency Service regarding the status of its investigation into Flight Reclaim.

Paul Scully: The Insolvency Service has undertaken an investigation into the conduct of the director of Flight Reclaim Limited. Contact with those directors is ongoing so it is not appropriate for any further comment to be made at this time. Doing so may affect any resulting court proceedings, either by the Insolvency Service or any other party.

Electricity Generation: Infrastructure

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to upgrade energy infrastructure to meet increased electricity demands as a result of the transition to electric vehicles.

Greg Hands: Mechanisms are already in place to ensure that the electricity demand from the transition to electric vehicles can be met, both in terms of electricity generation capacity and electricity network capacity. The market is already set up to bring forward investment in new generation capacity. The Contracts for Difference scheme supports investment in new low carbon generation, and additional demand can be managed through adjustments to the amount of capacity secured through the Capacity Market auctions. Ofgem, as the independent regulator, uses the price control framework to ensure that electricity network companies provide the required infrastructure to deliver the capacity to meet both current and future demand on the network. Additionally, electric vehicles offer new opportunities for consumers to be part of a smarter and more flexible energy system. Smart charging during off-peak periods when electricity demand is low reduces the need for additional generation capacity and network reinforcement.

Springfields: Nuclear Fuels

Dr Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December 2021 to Question 85170, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that Springfields nuclear site continues producing nuclear fuel for plants in the UK.

Greg Hands: The Springfields site sits at the heart of the UK’s nuclear fuel manufacturing capabilities, and we have a keen interest in its future. Earlier this month, I visited the site to see first-hand the important work taking place, including at the Oxide Fuels Complex. We have also established a working group attended by key stakeholders, including the site operator and unions. Proposals relating to the Springfields site and developing its capabilities, alongside sector co-investment, will be welcomed by the up to £75 million Nuclear Fuel Fund announced in the recent Spending Review.

Mobile Phones: Storms

David Duguid: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to increase network resiliency in response to Storm Arwen.

Greg Hands: My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has commissioned a post-incident review into Storm Arwen to identify lessons and best practice for system resilience, consumer protection and additional response support. The terms of reference are available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/storm-arwen-electricity-distribution-disruption-review.

Electricity: Infrastructure

David Duguid: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions his Department has had with the devolved Administrations on electricity network infrastructure in response to Storm Arwen.

Greg Hands: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy engaged with the Scottish and Welsh Government throughout Storm Arwen. The Scottish and Welsh Governments, as members of the Energy Emergencies Executive Committee, will be engaged in the post-incident review of Storm Arwen that has been commissioned by my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Diesel and Petrol: Prices

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions his Department has had with UK fuel retailers on the adequacy of consumer prices for fuel.

Greg Hands: The Department monitors road fuel prices and publishes the information on a weekly basis. BEIS analysis is that changes in retail prices of petroleum products such as petrol and diesel are primarily driven by the changes in the global market prices for crude oil and in exchange rates. Both rises and falls in crude oil prices feed through to pump prices over a period of 6-7 weeks. Recognising that fuel is a major cost for households and businesses, we have kept fuel duty frozen. This is the twelfth consecutive freeze, saving the average UK car driver a cumulative £1,900, compared to the plans the previous Government set out in 2010.

Energy Supply: Charging Points

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the (a) frequency of power surges when Distribution Network Operators erroneously supply electricity outside the allowed fluctuations and (b) potential effect of those fluctuations on the safety of electric vehicle charging points; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Hands: The Electricity System Operator is responsible for keeping the overall frequency and voltage of the GB electricity network within the statutory limits and publishes annual data on system excursions. Conditions on the electricity distribution network, or internal wiring at a premises, can alter the voltage at a specific Electric Vehicle (EV) charging point. EV charging points are designed to operate over wide voltage and frequency ranges. They are also fitted with internal protective devices to limit damage should excursions exceed safe limits. Should any customers have concerns about voltage management at their premises, they can raise them with their Distribution Network Operator for investigation.

Housing: Insulation

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to support people affected by improperly fitted cavity wall insulation as a result of work carried out under Government schemes that operated between 2009 and 2014, especially in cases where the contractors who did those works are no longer operational.

Greg Hands: Those who had measures installed between 2009 and 2014, with guarantees, can contact the guaranteed provider for assistance, even in the event the contractor is no longer operational. If no guarantee is in place, then Citizens’ Advice should be contacted for further advice.

Green Deal Scheme: Appeals

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many Green Deal Scheme appeal cases have been waiting for a final decision for (a) six to 11 months and (b) 12 months or longer since referral, by Scottish constituency.

Greg Hands: The table below provides details of how many complaints about the Green Deal, that have been referred to the Secretary of State, have been waiting for a final decision for (a) six to 11 months and (b) 12 months or longer since referral, by Scottish constituency, at 10th December 2021.  Months outstandingParliamentary ConstituencySix-to-elevenTwelve or longerAirdrie and Shotts04Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock13Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk01Central Ayrshire510Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill05Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East19Dunfermline and West Fife02East Ayrshire, Scotland01East Dunbartonshire12East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow212East Lothian11East Renfrewshire02Edinburgh East02Edinburgh South10Falkirk13Glasgow Central01Glasgow East03Glasgow North13Glasgow North East39Glasgow North West13Glasgow South West12Glenrothes04Inverclyde05Kilmarnock and Loudoun311Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath14Linlithgow and East Falkirk10Livingston06Midlothian01Motherwell and Wishaw05North Ayrshire and Arran06Ochil and South Perthshire02Paisley and Renfrewshire North320Paisley and Renfrewshire South06Perth and North Perthshire03Rutherglen and Hamilton West112Stirling11West Dunbartonshire17

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Colombia

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what funding (a) categorised as Official Development Assistance and (b) not categorised as Official Development Assistance her Department has provided to programmes in Colombia in each year since 2019.

George Freeman: Information on the level of ODA funding for work in Colombia for 2019 and 2020 is available on the Government website for Statistics on International Development (SID). The 2021 amount will not be available until the completion of the SID return for 2022.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Official Hospitality

Florence Eshalomi: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether any social events took place between three or more people within his Departmental buildings between (a) 5 November 2020 and 1 December 2020 and (b) 16 December 2020 and 22 February 2021.

George Freeman: This information is not collected. At the time, staff were expected to work from home and undertake meetings remotely, wherever possible.

Carbon Capture and Storage: Hydrogen

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of placing all credible hydrogen production projects under Track-1 of the Cluster Sequencing Process.

Greg Hands: The Cluster Sequencing process will bring forward the UK’s first full-chain carbon capture and storage proposals. The Track-1 decision has identified the HyNet and East Coast Cluster proposals as those with the potential to pioneer this technology in the UK, including through the deployment of CCS-enabled low carbon hydrogen capacity. Phase-2 of this process, which opened in November, focuses on individual projects and is open to submissions from any hydrogen production project based in the UK provided they can demonstrate they have a CO2 transport solution and access to a Track-1 or reserve cluster CO2 store and meet the other eligibility criteria.

UK Emissions Trading Scheme

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when the Government plans to bring forward its planned consultation on the implementation of a net-zero-consistent cap for the UK emissions trading scheme.

Greg Hands: As set out in November’s Net Zero Strategy we will consult in the coming months on an appropriate cap consistent with net zero. The cap will be aligned with a net zero consistent trajectory by January 2024 at the latest.

Boilers: Hydrogen

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to launch a consultation on mandating hydrogen-ready boilers.

Greg Hands: In the Heat and Building Strategy, the Government committed to consulting shortly on the case for enabling, or requiring, new gas boilers to be readily convertible to hydrogen (‘hydrogen-ready’) by 2026, to prepare homes for a potential hydrogen conversion.

Natural Gas: Hydrogen

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to help ensure that a decision on blending 20 per cent hydrogen into the gas grid is delivered in 2023.

Greg Hands: BEIS is working closely with the Health and Safety Executive, Ofgem and industry to understand the safety case, operability and value for money case for blending hydrogen into the grid. We are following emerging evidence from industry trials such as HyDeploy. We will be able to make a decision once there is sufficient evidence on both technical safety and financial viability. Although we will be prioritising the economic assessment of hydrogen blending, we envisage the end of 2023 being the earliest point a decision could be made.

Hydrogen: Carbon Emissions

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to publish the outcome of the consultation on designing a UK low carbon hydrogen standard.

Greg Hands: The Government consultation on a Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard closed on 25 October. The Government intends to publish its response, confirming the design of the standard, in early 2022.

Hydrogen

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to finalise the development of comprehensive regulatory frameworks for hydrogen.

Greg Hands: In line with the commitments made in the Hydrogen Strategy, the Government is working with industry and regulators to consider the regulatory frameworks required to support the development of the hydrogen value chain, including where change may be necessary. This engagement will be formalised through the Hydrogen Regulators Forum, which will meet for the first time in January 2022. The Forum will have representation across the relevant regulatory areas (environmental, safety, markets, competition and planning). Initial conclusions, proposals and next steps on regulation will be published as part of the Hydrogen Strategy progress update in early 2022.

Vaccine Manufacturing and Innovation Centre

Mary Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reason the Government is selling the Vaccine Manufacturing and Innovation Centre.

George Freeman: VMIC was a project set up in the 2017 Life Sciences Sector Deal to support UK leadership in next generation vaccine manufacturing technology. The pandemic has dramatically accelerated both the demand and the technology of vaccine production since VMIC was established. The Government has invested over £380 million to secure and scale-up the UK’s manufacturing capabilities to be able to respond to this pandemic, as well as any future pandemics, and in support of vaccine innovation at numerous facilities across the UK. Our positive engagement with industry and the UK’s strong science base and international reputation has also seen a number of private investments across the whole of the UK announced over the past year. These include Serum Institute of India’s £50m investment into Oxford Biomedica, Thermo Fisher Scientific’s £70m expansion of its Swindon site and Fujifilm’s £400m investment into its Billingham, Teesside facility.One such facility that the Government provided support to is the Vaccine Manufacturing Innovation Centre (VMIC) which has the potential to be a significant part of the UK vaccine manufacturing ecosystem. VMIC is a private company, limited by guarantee, and as such the UK Government does not exercise any ownership rights.Officials are working closely with VMIC and other third parties to ensure that the UK retains a strong domestic vaccine manufacturing capability to contribute to our response to COVID-19 and resilience to other future health emergencies. We will ensure that the UK’s vaccine capabilities continue to benefit from the public investment. Discussions are commercially sensitive between VMIC and private potential acquirers.

Toys and Games

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many meetings Ministers have held with representatives of the toys industry in the last year; and what steps his Department is taking to tackle the impact of (a) supply chain issues, (b) trade disruption and (c) labour shortages on the import and manufacture of toys.

Lee Rowley: The Department publishes details of Ministers’ meetings with external organisations on a quarterly basis, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/beis-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings. We recently established a Supply Chain Advisory Group and Industry Taskforce, which provides a link between business and the Government to identify causes of supply chain issues and what Government action may be proportionate.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Theft

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many of his Department's (a) laptops, (b) mobile phones, (c) memory sticks and (d) external hard drives have been lost or stolen in each of the last five years.

George Freeman: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has lost or had stolen the following numbers of laptops and mobile phones: DateNumber of Laptops LostNumber of Laptops StolenNumber of Mobile Phones LostNumber of Mobile Phones Stolen2017N/AN/AN/AN/A20186627520191628125322020101863122021 (to 09 Dec)6147411 Information about the loss or theft of memory sticks and external hard drives is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: BGI

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department or its Arm's Length Bodies has a working relationship, including on contractual or commercial terms, with BGI Group or any of its subsidiaries.

George Freeman: BEIS does not have any contractual or commercial terms with BGI Group (BGI) or any of its subsidiaries.

Northern Ireland Office

Northern Ireland Office: Official Hospitality

Sarah Owen: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether any social events took place between three or more people within his Departmental buildings between (a) 5 November 2020 and 1 December 2020 and (b) 16 December 2020 and 22 February 2021.

Conor Burns: This information is not collected. At the time, staff were expected to work from home and undertake meetings remotely, wherever possible.

Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus: Screening

Florence Eshalomi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department took to help ensure supply of lateral flow tests for covid-19 at registered collection sites prior to the publication of his Department's press release entitled Daily rapid testing for COVID-19 contacts launches this week on 12 December 2021.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Screening

Florence Eshalomi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Daily rapid testing for COVID-19 contacts launches this week published on 12 December 2021, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure key workers access to lateral flow tests for covid-19.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Screening

Florence Eshalomi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to help ensure supply of covid-19 lateral flow tests prior to the publication of his Department's press release entitled Daily rapid testing for COVID-19 contacts launches this week on 12 December 2021.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Screening

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people in (a) England and (b) Merseyside have been unable to order a covid-19 lateral flow test kit from the Government website on 13 December 2021; and what steps his Department is taking to resume the provision of covid-19 lateral flow test kits from that website.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Travel: Coronavirus

Colum Eastwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether people travelling from non red list countries and who have connecting flights in English airports with final destinations in Northern Ireland are required to quarantine in England or in their end destination in Northern Ireland.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Abortion

Scott Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of safeguards to ensure that medical abortion pills sent to women by post without an in-person consultation are taken within the legal limit of ten weeks’ gestation.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will update the NHS Booking Service so that children who have recently turned 12 and are eligible for a dose of covid-19 vaccination can book an appointment via the NHS Booking Service.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Amazon: Contracts

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the new contract with Amazon to deliver covid-19 lateral flow tests includes a requirement for Amazon to pay UK taxes on the contract value.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of housebound people eligible for a covid-19 booster jab; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the booster rollout reaches people who are housebound.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his latest estimate is of when clinically vulnerable children and young people who have been vaccinated against covid-19 will be able to access and use the NHS Covid Pass for (a) domestic purposes and b) international travel.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Evusheld

Duncan Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the AstraZeneca drug Evusheld for immunosuppressed people in the UK; what plans he has to use that drug as a (a) prophylactic and (b) treatment; and what his timeline is for the rollout of that drug for use in the UK.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what new treatment and recovery funding streams he plans to make available to support people affected by alcohol misuse.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Drugs: Rehabilitation

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make a comparative assessment of the change in the amount of funding for drug treatment (a) over the last ten years and (b) as committed to in the first three years of the Government’s 10-year plan announced on 6 December 2021.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what processes are in place to ensure that the National Booking system 119 gives out the correct advice, so that all children who have recently turned or are due to turn 12 can book their first covid-19 vaccination through that system.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to prioritise police officers for the covid-19 booster vaccine.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he expects that NHS covid passes will be made available for 12-15 year olds.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Dr Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that the database of the booking system for booster vaccinations administered by NHS England includes records of initial vaccinations administered by NHS Scotland; for what reason the vaccination records of people inoculated in Scotland have hitherto been unavailable within the booking system when those people seek booster vaccinations after relocating from Scotland to England; what the average additional time taken to get a booster vaccination has been for those people as a result of that lack of data; and if he will make a statement.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Mental Health Services: Children

James Wild: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average waiting time from referral to discharge for child neurodevelopment services was in (a) Norfolk and (b) England in each of the last five years.

Gillian Keegan: NHS Digital’s Mental Health Services Data Set (MHSDS) provides data on the time between referrals and discharge for neurodevelopmental services and average waiting times for these services. However, due to data limitations this does not provide comprehensive information on average waiting times across all child neurodevelopmental services. NHS Digital began collecting data for neurodevelopmental conditions in 2018. In addition, some referrals and activity of neurodevelopmental services for children fall out of scope of the MHSDS, as these often happen in community settings. The MHSDS relies on data submitted by providers of services for neurodevelopmental conditions, therefore a substantial number of neurodevelopmental cases may be omitted from current modelling.The following table shows the average number of days between referral and discharge for neurodevelopmental conditions and autism in Norfolk and England in each year since 2018/19. NorfolkEnglandFinancial yearAverage number of days between referral and dischargeAverage number of days between referral and discharge2018/191661832019/202542462020/212813482021/22 (April to September)289331  Source: Mental Health Services Dataset, NHS Digital Notes: Referrals with a null discharge date, null referral date, and a recorded discharge date which is prior to the referral date have been excluded from analysis.MHSDS referral codes 24 (neurodevelopmental conditions) and 25 (suspected autism) for people aged under 18 years old have been used to count referrals with a discharge between April 2018 and September 2021, as well as the average number of days between referral and discharge, grouped by financial year.It is not possible to provide data prior to 2018/19 as this was the first year that data for neurodevelopmental and autism conditions were recorded under their current codes in MHSDS.The scope of MHSDS includes all secondary mental health services for both adults and children and young people. A lot of referral and care activity for children and young people with neurodevelopmental conditions happens outside of these mental health services, often in community settings, and is therefore out of scope of MHSDS. At present, we are not able to give a good estimate of the volume of this community-based activity.

Mental Health Services: Veterans

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many veterans received support from Op Courage between (a) April-July and (b) August-November 2021.

Gillian Keegan: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Mental Health Services: Veterans

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many veterans were (a) referred to or (b) contacted Op Courage for support in (ii) April-July and (ii) August-November 2021.

Gillian Keegan: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that all people who require vital health care support during the roll out of the covid-19 booster vaccination receive that support.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Podiatry

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support podiatrists within primary care to respond to increasing trends foot ulceration and amputation and to maintain peoples’ walking, working, and wellbeing.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the effect on covid-19 transmission of requiring a negative covid-19 lateral flow test for entrance into venues.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Abortion

Scott Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many women have suffered (a) ruptured ectopic pregnancies, (b) haemorrhage, (c) uterine perforation, (d) sepsis and (e) cervical tear complications following the use of medical abortion pills at home since March 2020.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Malnutrition: Health Services

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of NHS statistics showing that the number of people treated for malnutrition increased from 4,657 in 2010-11 to 10,109 in 2020-21.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Mental Health Services: Autism and Learning Disability

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2021 to Question 53847 on Mental Health Services: Autism and Learning Disability, what assessment he has made of the success of the Building the Right Support policy as of 7 December 2021.

Gillian Keegan: An objective of Building the Right Support is to achieve a 50% reduction in the number of people with a learning disability and autistic people in specialist inpatient settings by 2023/24 through the development of community alternatives. The latest Assuring Transformation data shows the number of people with a learning disability and autistic people in specialist inpatient settings at the end of October 2021 was 2,070 - a 28.5% net reduction since March 2015. The data shows variation across integrated care systems and transforming care partnerships, with some areas already having achieved inpatient rates at the 2023/24 target. An evaluation of Building the Right Support, commissioned by NHS England, was published on 22 November 2021.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what comparative assessment he has made of the proportion of third primary covid-19 vaccine doses administered to immunocompromised and immunosuppressed people in (a) Waltham Forest and (b) England.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Screening

Florence Eshalomi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what contingency measures are in place in the event of significantly increased levels of demand for covid-19 lateral flow tests.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Screening

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the availability of NHS lateral flow tests in response to Government advice for fully vaccinated contacts of a covid-19 case to take a daily lateral flow test for 7 days to slow the spread of the virus.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Travel: Coronavirus

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 13 December 2021 to Question 86625 on Travel: Coronavirus, whether TestnGo has received a warning related to inadequate performance of their covid-19 testing services.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Eating Disorders: Mental Health Services

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Mental health clinically-led review of standards, if he will introduce a new access standard that measures clinically meaningful contact for adults with eating disorders; and if he will publish data that provides transparency on waiting times from referral to the start of evidence-based treatment for adults with eating disorders.

Gillian Keegan: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of immunocompromised or immunosuppressed people have received their (a) second and (b) third primary dose of the covid-19 vaccine in each (a) region of England and (b) local authority as of 13 December 2021.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Carers: Unpaid Work

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of the number of unpaid carers.

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support is available to unpaid carers.

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support unpaid carers can access for respite care support.

Gillian Keegan: No estimate has been made as the Department does not collect information on the number of unpaid carers. We are investing up to £25 million in the sector to identify and test new and existing interventions to support unpaid carers, which could include respite and breaks, peer group and wellbeing support and maximise the impact.Local authorities are required to undertake a Carer’s Assessment for any carer who needs support. The assessment can record the impact on a carer and review their needs, including whether they are willing or able to continue caring. If a carer is assessed as having needs which are eligible for support, the local authority has a legal duty to meet those needs on request from the carer and devise a plan with the carer on how they will be met.

Mental Health Services: Veterans

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the average amount of time it takes between an individual making initial contact with Op Courage to that individual attending an assessment appointment.

Gillian Keegan: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Care Homes: Visits

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to monitor care homes' compliance with Government guidance on facilitating visits during the covid-19 outbreak.

Gillian Keegan: The Department monitors how care homes are implementing guidance on a weekly basis using the Capacity Tracker data collection and data on visitor test registrations. Currently, approximately 93% of care homes in England are accommodating residents receiving visitors.We regularly review and update guidance on care home visiting, based on the latest clinical advice. If a resident or their family have concerns that a care home is not following visiting guidance appropriately, it should be raised with the home in the first instance. The Care Quality Commission can also investigate complaints and has regulatory powers to take action where providers do not appropriately support people to have access to visits.

G7: Oxford

Mr Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the overall cost was of (a) travel and (b) subsistence for the UK Delegation when attending the G7 Health Ministers summit in July 2021.

Gillian Keegan: Ministers travelled in official vehicles for this event. Travel expenses for senior Departmental officials supporting Ministers totalled £1,018.44.It is not possible to separate the United Kingdom delegation’s subsistence costs from the overall event costs. All hotel costs were included in the Department’s booking for exclusive use of the hotel during the G7 event. Hotel costs and costs of official dinners during the event were part of the overall Cabinet office budget for this event. The hotel costs for core delegates, including from G7 partner countries and UK supporting officials was £54,422 excluding VAT. The cost of official dinners was £4,195 excluding VAT.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Long Covid: Health Services

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that NHS staff providing medical and personal care to ME and long covid patients are aware of the harmful impact of inappropriate exercise, over-exertion and exposure to light, sound, touch and new environments on those patients.

Gillian Keegan: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing guidance for the health and care system. NICE published its updated guideline on the diagnosis and management of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) on 29 October 2021, which contains recommendations on energy management, rest and sleep. Additionally, the guideline advises that discussions should take place with those who require inpatient care on whether any aspects of the location of their care could cause difficulties, including environmental factors such as lighting, sound, heating and smells. NICE is working with system partners to support the implementation of the guideline for ME/CFS. The full guidance is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng206The NICE guideline for the long-term effects of COVID-19 considers careful self-pacing of exercise to be an important element of self-management. However, NICE concluded that in the absence of evidence relating to those with ongoing symptoms, it could not make specific recommendations. It has agreed to include a research recommendation to determine the effectiveness of exercise interventions for this population.

Mental Health Services: Autism and Learning Disability

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2021 to Question 53847 on Mental Health Services: Autism and Learning Disability, what his timetable is for the implementation of the  Building the Right Support Action Plan.

Gillian Keegan: Each action in the Building the Right Support Action Plan will have a clear timescale so that the progress of implementation can be monitored. These actions will support the delivery of the NHS Long Term Plan’s commitment to achieve a 50% reduction in the number of autistic people and people with a learning disability in specialist inpatient settings by 2023/24. We will publish the Building the Right Support Action Plan as soon as possible.

Carers: Brexit

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of live-in carers for disabled people who have left the United Kingdom since the UK left the European Union.

Gillian Keegan: No specific estimate has been made as data on the number of live-in-carers for disabled people is not held centrally. Skills for Care data shows that approximately 7.5% of the overall workforce employed by independent providers or local authorities held a non-British European Union nationality in 2019/20 and this has remained at approximately 7.5% in 2020/21.

Social Services: Qualifications

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 30 July 2021 to Question 29882, how many and what proportion of the roles in adult social care do not have formal qualification requirements.

Gillian Keegan: Of the 1.5 million people working in adult social care, 76% work in direct care roles which do not have formal qualification requirements. This consists of 895,000 care workers, 130,000 roles supporting direct payment recipients, 84,000 senior care workers, 61,000 community support and outreach workers and 99,000 other roles providing care.The other roles in the workforce which do not require formal qualifications include ancillary, administration and activity worker roles, which accounts for 12%.In Build Back Better, the Government announced at least £500 million pounds of new investment to support the workforce. This funding will provide hundreds of thousands of training places to help staff to develop new knowledge and skills to deliver high quality care.

Fractures: Health Services

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the fracture liaison service in (a) fracture diagnosis and (b) early intervention to prevent further fractures.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve early-diagnosis rates for osteoporosis.

Gillian Keegan: The Best MSK Health programme, launched in February 2021 by NHS England and NHS Improvement to improve services for musculoskeletal conditions, includes a workstream dedicated to osteoporosis, falls and fragility fracture prevention. One priority of the programme is to facilitate timely and appropriate referral to diagnostics and specialist care.NHS England and NHS Improvement’s restoration strategy includes a recommendation for systems to optimise secondary prevention of fragility fractures by ensuring equitable provision of and access to quality assured fracture liaison services, which are recognised as best practice.

Social Services: Coronavirus

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the covid-19 vaccine mandate for social care workers, what assessment the Government has made of the extent of  face-to-face social care provision that falls outside of CQC regulation, including services that a social care provider classes as outreach services.

Gillian Keegan: We have not made a specific assessment. However, Skills for Care data from 2020/21 suggests that 20% of the workforce providing home care and 12% providing residential care not including care homes worked for employers not registered with the Care Quality Commission and therefore will fall outside the scope of the regulations. Including those working in non-registered day and community settings, this is potentially 24% of the total workforce.

Mental Health Services

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that appropriate community mental health facilities are available to support people with low to moderate health needs, in the community.

Gillian Keegan: National Health Service mental health services have remained open throughout the pandemic. Community, talking therapies and children and young people’s services have deployed innovative digital tools to provide ongoing mental health support, while advice to people on supporting their own mental health is available online through Every Mind Matters.Our Mental Health Recovery Action Plan has been allocated an additional £500 million in 2021/22 to ensure we have the right support in place, including for those with low to moderate mental health needs. Of this funding, £110 million will be invested in adult mental health services such as talking and psychological therapies and implementing the community mental health framework, while £79 million will be used to expand children and young people’s mental health services. We are also providing additional funding of £2.3 billion a year for mental health services, which will enable an extra 1.9 million people to be treated by NHS talking and psychological therapies by 2023/24.

Supported Housing: Older People

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the implications for its policies of the finding of ARCO's November 2021 report, Putting the care in Housing-with-Care, that integrated retirement communities are key to improving care quality and tackling the care worker shortage.

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the implications for its policies of the finding of ARCO's November 2021 report, Putting the care in Housing-with-Care, that an expansion of the integrated retirement community sector could reduce the need for care staff by tens of thousands.

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will increase housing-based care options for older people.

Gillian Keegan: No formal assessment has been made. However, we recognise that supported housing, including housing-with-care, can be the best model of care for some people, leading to better health, greater independence and closer connection with the community. An independent pre-evaluation scoping exercise commissioned by the Department has found good evidence for the benefits of extra care housing for older people.We will continue to incentivise the supply of supported housing through the Care and Support Specialised Housing Fund, alongside a new £300 million investment to embed the strategic commitment in all local places to connect housing with health and care and drive the stock of new supported housing. We will work in partnership with local authorities, housing providers and others to design and establish our new investment.Our white paper on the reform of adult social care includes our strategy to build a workforce which is well-trained, developed, healthy, supported, sustainable and recognised. Reforming the way care is delivered has significant potential to manage demand for the adult social care workforce as part of longer-term planning.

Women's Estate Perinatal Pathway Steering Group

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2021 to Question 56264, on Pregnancy: Prisoners, on which dates the Women’s Estate Perinatal Pathway Steering Group has met since it was first convened in January 2021.

Gillian Keegan: The Women’s Estate Perinatal Pathway Steering Group has met on the following dates: 23 March 2021; 20 April 2021; 27 May 2021; 29 June 2021; 27 July 2021; 7 September 2021; 6 October 2021; 9 November 2021; and 8 December 2021.

Eating Disorders: Mental Health Services

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021, how much and what proportion of the £44 billion increased spending on the health service in England will be allocated to eating disorder services.

Gillian Keegan: National Health Service funding allocations, including provision for different service areas and regions in England, will be announced in due course.

Mental Health Services: Males

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department takes to take into account the needs of men when developing mental health support policies.

Gillian Keegan: The Department regularly engages a range of stakeholder organisations, individuals and people with lived experiences, to understand the needs of specific groups. The Equality Act 2010 places a duty on the Department to consider equality and disadvantaged groups when designing policies and delivering services. This includes age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and motherhood, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

Social Services: Reform

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish details of how his Department is giving organisations the opportunity to influence the development of the White Paper on Adult Social Care Reform; and which organisations have been involved in the development of that White Paper as of 17 November 2021.

Gillian Keegan: ‘People at the Heart of Care: adult social care reform white paper’ was published on 1 December 2021. Details of the Department’s engagement with stakeholders to shape the content of the white paper and the names of these organisations is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/people-at-the-heart-of-care-adult-social-care-reform-white-paperWe will continue to engage with people and organisations across the sector, including individuals with lived experience of drawing on care and support, to further develop and design the implementation of these reforms.

Tafamidis

Apsana Begum: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to make Tafamadis, the only treatment for the terminal illness hereditary cardiac Amyloidosis, available to UK families.

Apsana Begum: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the timetable is for Tafamadis to be made available on the NHS for people with hereditary cardiac amyloidosis.

Edward Argar: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that makes evidence-based recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new medicines should be routinely funded based on an assessment of their clinical and cost effectiveness. NICE published guidance in May 2021 that does not recommend tafamidis for the treatment of wild-type or hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy in adults. NHS England and NHS Improvement do not therefore routinely commission tafamidis for NHS patients in England. Where a treatment is not routinely commissioned by the NHS, a patient’s clinician may submit an individual funding request if they consider it is in their patient’s best interests to have that treatment.

Mental Health Services: Staff

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to develop workforce requirements for mental health services as of his workforce plan.

Gillian Keegan: The NHS Long Term Plan commits to the expansion of the National Health Service workforce, with the aim of achieving an additional 27,000 mental health posts by 2023/24. Health Education England (HEE) is supporting this ambition through the development and training of the mental health workforce. HEE commissioned approximately 6,000 training places in 2020/21, with a further 9,000 people being trained in 2021/22.In July 2021, the Department commissioned HEE to review long term strategic trends for the health and regulated social care workforce to ensure we have the right numbers of staff, skills, values and behaviours to deliver world-leading services and continued high standards of care.

Ichthyosis: Medical Treatments

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that people with the skin condition ichthyosis can access the cream Udrate to treat that condition via (a) GP prescription and (b) pharmacies nationwide.

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of local variation in access to the cream Udrate for the treatment of the skin condition ichthyosis.

Edward Argar: No assessment has been made. General practitioners and clinician are responsible for working with patients to determine the appropriate course of treatment, with the provision of the most clinically appropriate care being the primary consideration. Clinicians are responsible for making prescribing decisions for their patients, taking into account best prescribing practice and the decision-making of their respective clinical commissioning groups.

Mental Health Services: Staff

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure an adequate skills mix in the delivery of holistic mental health services in the community.

Gillian Keegan: The community mental health framework states that the range of staff in multidisciplinary services within each local community should collaborate to deliver effective holistic care for mental health. This includes staff currently working in secondary care community mental health services, primary care networks, employment and housing support staff, key voluntary community and social enterprise organisations and social support services. The NHS Mental Health Implementation Plan 2019/20 – 2023/24 provides indicative workforce profiles spanning a wide range of multi-disciplinary roles. Health Education England is committed to supporting the growth of the mental health workforce and its continued development, including the multi-professional teams working in community mental health services.

Dietary Supplements

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances consultation on standard adult ready-to-drink oral nutritional supplements will report and publish interim conclusions.

Edward Argar: The Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances (ACBS) is independent of the Government. The ACBS has not informed the Department when it will publish its conclusions.

Mental Health Services: Ilford North

Wes Streeting: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate his Department has made of (a) the number of people on the waiting list for NHS talking therapies in Ilford North constituency and (b) the average waiting time for people in Ilford North constituency for those services.

Gillian Keegan: No such estimate has been made as data is not available at constituency level.

Clinical Trials: Training

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the MHRA offering training to researchers on how to introduce flexibility into the protocol of trials on (a) patient safety and (b) compliance with ethical research practices.

Edward Argar: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) supports the inclusion of flexibility in clinical trial protocols to enable research to be conducted efficiently but without compromising participant safety. The MHRA has published guidance on building flexibility and resilience into clinical trial protocols and provides regulatory and scientific advice to researchers on flexible and innovative trial design.In October 2020, the MHRA hosted a two-day workshop for researchers, industry and academia on novel trial designs. While an official assessment of the impact of further training in this area has not been made, the MHRA will continue to support researchers via its innovation services. Compliance with ethical research practice falls within the remit of the United Kingdom’s research ethics services.

Mental Health Services: Finance

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the proportion of a health budget that commissioners should spend on (a) adult mental health services and (b) children and adolescent mental health services.

Gillian Keegan: We have made no such estimate. While clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are responsible for their own funding decisions, we would expect expenditure on mental health services, including services for adults and children and young people, to be in accordance with the Mental Health Investment Standard (MHIS). This requires CCGs to increase investment in mental health services in line with their overall increase in allocation each year. All CCGs met the MHIS in 2020/21 and we are working with National Health Service partners to ensure all CCGs continue to be compliant.

Female Genital Mutilation: Clinics

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many specialist FGM clinics (a) have closed over the last ten years or (b) are in the process of closing.

Gillian Keegan: The information being requested is not held centrally.

Breast Cancer: Health Services

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment of breast cancer in younger women.

Maria Caulfield: The NHS Long Term Plan’s ambitions for early diagnosis includes improvements for breast cancer patients of all ages. Rapid diagnostic centres (RDCs) have two models: for specific symptoms, which will include most women with suspected breast cancer; and for non-specific symptoms. As of October 2021, there were 179 live RDC pathways in England, compared to 12 in March 2020. Of these, nine are for breast cancer symptoms, with evaluation showing that breast cancer has been diagnosed through non-specific symptom pathways.The NHS Long Term Plan sets the ambition to offer personalised care to all cancer patients and transform follow-up care, giving people choice and control over the way their care is planned and delivered, includes younger patients with breast cancer. NHS England’s Cancer Quality of Life Survey identify patients’ views on their care and if any new services are needed. The first data from this survey was published in October 2021.

Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme

Sir Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer to Question 88622 of 10 December 2021, when the NHS Business Services Authority review of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme's processes will be complete; on what date he expects the first claims to be resolved; and whether the review will also consider the appropriateness of the current maximum payment of £120,000 under the Scheme which has not been increased since 1979.

Maria Caulfield: Since taking over the management of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) in November 2021, the NHS Business Services Authority has endeavoured to make the process as smooth as possible for claimants, an open-ended project to improve the service continuously.Claims are medically assessed on a case-by-case basis, on average taking approximately six months to investigate and process from the date the NHS Business Services Authority request a claimant’s medical records. Claims relating to COVID-19 vaccines are taking longer to investigate due to establishing a causal relationship between vaccines and their purported side effects. The NHS Business Services Authority will write to claimants when there is an update.The VDPS payment value has increased over time, from the original value of £10,000 in 1979 to the current level of £120,000.

Brain: Tumours

Claire Hanna: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his timeframe is for the allocation of funding to brain tumour research.

Maria Caulfield: In May 2018 the Government announced £40 million over five years for brain tumour research as part of the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission, through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The NIHR released a public announcement to the research community, making clear our desire to receive brain tumour research funding applications. We are relying on researchers to submit high-quality research proposals.As with other Government funders of health research, the NIHR does not allocate funding for specific disease areas. The level of research spend in a particular area is determined by factors including scientific potential and the number and scale of successful funding applications. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including brain tumours.

Care Homes: Visits

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what further steps his Department is taking to ensure that care home (a) staff and (b) residents are protected from covid-19 infection transmitted by visitors.

Gillian Keegan: We have issued guidance on care home visiting during the pandemic, which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visiting-care-homes-during-coronavirus/update-on-policies-for-visiting-arrangements-in-care-homesTo ensure both care home staff and residents are protected from COVID-19 infection, we expect care homes to ask visitors to take steps including booking appointments, taking a test on the day of their visit, wearing a mask throughout and washing their hands thoroughly on arrival. Care homes are also asked to develop a dynamic risk assessment for how visits are managed, including consideration of infection prevention and control measures and ventilation.

Social Services: Health and Social Care Levy

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of increasing the proportion of funding allocated to the social care sector through the planned Health and Social Care Levy, given that less than half of the announced funding has been earmarked for social care services over the next three years.

Gillian Keegan: The Department considered the wider needs of the health and care system in relation to the Levy announced on 7 September, with £5.4 billion over three years for adult social care. The Government confirmed it is providing councils with £1.6 billion of new grant funding per year for social care and other services in this Spending Review period. This settlement also assumes councils will have flexibility to increase the adult social care precept by 1% per year, which will provide up to an additional £1.7 billion in council tax receipts over the three years.

Female Genital Mutilation: Victim Support Schemes

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of specialist NHS provision for survivors of FGM in (a) Slough and (b) Milton Keynes compared to the known number of FGM survivors in each of those towns.

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect of the closure of specialist FGM clinics on survivors of FGM in the UK.

Gillian Keegan: While NHS England and NHS Improvement have not made a formal assessment, we would expect local commissioners to follow the guidance to support commissioners in meeting the needs of women and girls with female genital mutilation (FGM).NHS England and NHS Improvement have been working to gain an understanding of the services required to inform local commissioners’ decision-making via the National Health Service FGM clinics project. NHS England and NHS Improvement are now evaluating the outcomes of the pilot study, while working with local systems to enable future provision.

Brain: Health Education

Dr Philippa Whitford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment the UK Government has made of the concept of brain health in encouraging people to reduce their dementia risk.

Gillian Keegan: Currently, the NHS Health Check programme aims to raise awareness of the risk factors that affect both heart and brain health. This aims to prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease, and some cases of dementia among adults aged 40 to 74 years old. We will be setting out our future plans on dementia for England in 2022. The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities is contributing to the development of the new strategy which will include a focus on prevention and risk reduction. As part of this, the concept of brain health in encouraging people to reduce their dementia risk, is being explored. Officials are engaging with a range of stakeholders on the new strategy including members of the Dementia Programme Board and other Government departments.

Brain: Research

Dr Philippa Whitford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much the Government has spent on research into (a) dementia prevention and (b) brain health in each of the last three years; and what plans he has to increase funding for research in those areas.

Maria Caulfield: Funding for dementia research is allocated via the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). The following table shows spending on research into dementia prevention by each organisation in each of the last three years. Spending by the MRC in 2020/21 is not yet available.  2018/192019/202020/21MRC£10.8 million£6.7 millionN/AESRC£0.7 million£0.7 million£1.1 millionNIHR£1.8 million£1.5 million£1.7 millionTotal£13.3 million£8.9 million£2.8 million The following table shows spending on research into ‘brain health’ in each of the last three years. Figures for the MRC’s spend reflect research into neurodegeneration, epilepsy and stroke which is directly relevant to brain health research, as the MRC does not have a specific brain health research portfolio. Spending by the MRC in 2020/21 is not yet available.  2018/192019/202020/21MRC£71.1 million£68.1 millionN/AESRC£0.1 million£0.2 million£0.4 millionNIHR£3.9 million£5.8 million£5.4 millionTotal£75.1 million£74.1 million£5.8 million The Government has committed to invest £375 million in neurodegenerative disease research over the next five years to fund projects into a range of diseases, including dementia. We will be setting out our plans on dementia for England for future years in 2022. This will include our ambitions for dementia research.

Strokes: Mechanical Thrombectomy

Sir Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of stroke patients receive a thrombectomy in each region in England as of 8 December 2021.

Maria Caulfield: The information is not held in the format requested.

Integrated Care Boards: Business Interests

Clive Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 1 December 2021 to Question 80412 on Integrated Care Boards: Conflict of Interests, if he will take steps to create a centralised register of interests for the purpose of public accessibility.

Edward Argar: There are no plans for a centralised register of conflicts of interest.Integrated care boards will be required to maintain and publish a register of their members’ interests and to outline arrangements for the management of conflicts or potential conflicts of interest. These will be published for public access.

NHS and Social Services: Coronavirus

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether someone who has a genuine fear of having a vaccine will be able to keep their job in the NHS or social care following the mandating of covid-19 vaccination.

Edward Argar: The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) (No.2) Regulations ) provide the following exemptions from the requirements:- those who do not have face-to-face contact with patients or service users;- those under the age of 18 years old;- current or previous participants in a clinical trial for a COVID-19 vaccine;- those providing care as part of a ‘shared lives’ arrangement; and- those with a medical exemption.There are no other exemptions provided.The United Kingdom’s COVID-19 vaccines have been approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency as being safe and effective against the virus. We are supporting those who are vaccine hesitant through a targeted approach as well as using the booster campaign as an opportunity to re-engage staff.

NHS: Staff

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that the NHS has a fully costed workforce plan to meet projected future population demands.

Edward Argar: We are committed to deliver 50,000 more nurses and put the National Health Service on to a sustainable long-term supply in future. We have set up a comprehensive work programme to improve retention and support return to practice, invest in and diversify our training pipeline and recruit ethically internationally. We also increased the number of student medical places by 1,500, or 25%, and opened five new medical schools across England. This was completed in September 2020. The Department is working with Health Education England (HEE) and NHS England and NHS Improvement to ensure that the right staff are available with the right specialisms, to support plans for elective recovery. In July 2021, the Department commissioned HEE to work with partners to review long term strategic trends for the health and regulated social care workforce. This will look at workforce demand and supply and the potential impacts to develop a shared set of planning assumptions.

NHS: Coronavirus

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to make up for the shortfall of NHS staff who may leave the NHS after refusing to take the covid-19 vaccine.

Edward Argar: We continue to encourage all health workers to make the positive choice to take up the COVID-19 vaccine to help protect the people they care for, themselves and their colleagues. We have implemented a 12-week grace period, allowing time for both workforce planning, and for those colleagues who are not yet vaccinated who may now wish to do so. The enforcement date of 1 April 2022 will assist providers over the winter and help to minimise workforce pressures. We are also increasing the range of opportunities for staff to receive the vaccine through walk-in and pop-up sites as part of the booster vaccination campaign.NHS England and NHS Improvement have written to all providers providing early guidance on vaccination as a condition of deployment to ensure smooth implementation and have provided guidance to assist providers in preparation and planning. Guidance has also been provide on the use of one to one conversations for all unvaccinated National Health Service staff with line managers. We are also increasing engagement with targeted communities where uptake is lowest, including with ethnic minority and faith networks to encourage healthcare workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have been diagnosed with Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in the last 3 years.

Maria Caulfield: The information is not available in the format requested.

Defibrillators

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a national register of defibrillators.

Maria Caulfield: NHS England and health services in the devolved administrations have been working with the British Heart Foundation, the Resuscitation Council UK and the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives to establish a database to register defibrillators across the United Kingdom called ‘The Circuit’. The Circuit will provide a UK-wide network of defibrillators to every ambulance service in the country and the public.

Medical Treatments: Public Consultation

Dr Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will establish permanent arrangements to gather testimony from members of the public with adverse experience of implanted materials, including (a) vaginal and (b) other mesh implants, and (c) silicone in (i) breast implants and (ii) contraceptive devices, in order that the long-term consequences of the use of such substances can be monitored continuously.

Maria Caulfield: We have no plans to do so. The report of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review was published in July 2020 and investigated the impacts of three harmful medical interventions, including vaginal mesh implants. This independent report gathered testimonies from members of the public with adverse experience of mesh implants.The Government’s response set out the actions we are taking to implement the recommendations and improve patient safety. A patient reference group was established on a temporary basis to inform the development of the Government’s full response to the ReviewAnyone with safety concerns, including adverse incidents involving medical devices, can report these to a relevant medical professional and via the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s Yellow Card scheme.

Strokes: Mechanical Thrombectomy

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what percentage of stroke patients have been provided with mechanical thrombectomy services by region in England in the last year; and what steps his Department has taken to help ensure that mechanical thrombectomy services are provided to all patients who require them.

Maria Caulfield: Information on the number and percentage of stroke patients provided with mechanical thrombectomy services is not held in the format requested Thrombectomy is available in 24 centres in England. The National Health Service is committed to increasing the delivery of mechanical thrombectomy to 10% of patients. The latest data available shows that 2.3% of patients are receiving a thrombectomy following a stroke. In early 2022, NHS England will undertake a quality review with each region to understand and resolve the biggest local barriers to increasing the thrombectomy rate.

Primary Health Care: Allied Health Professions

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure Allied Health Professions workforce reconfiguration within primary care settings is sustainable.

Maria Caulfield: Under the Primary Care Network Directed Enhanced Service, networks are able to recruit new roles to expand their care team with the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS). NHS England and NHS Improvement supply practices with the description of the ARRS roles to inform practices and ensure they make the best decision in recruiting for their practice, to utilise staff to their potential.In order to ensure that recruitment of allied health professionals (AHPs) into primary care is sustainable, we are supporting training, supervision and general practitioner’s understanding of these new roles. Health Education England also support AHPs to develop throughout their career, via advanced practice and new roles.

Health Services: Private Sector

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much was spent by (a) NHS providers and (b) NHS England Group on the purchase of healthcare from non-NHS bodies in financial year 2020-21.

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the (a) private organisations that have received funding from NHS bodies to provide healthcare services in the financial year 2020-21 and (b) value of those contracts.

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much each NHS trust spent on the purchase of healthcare from non-NHS bodies in financial year 2020-21.

Edward Argar: We are unable to provide the information requested due to the National Audit Office’s ongoing audit process.

Dietary Supplements

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what resources he has allocated to reviewing the responses to the Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances consultation on standard adult ready-to-drink oral nutritional supplements.

Edward Argar: The Committee’s Secretariat function is provided by one member of staff. The Department has allocated the Secretariat and part of two staff members’ time to review the responses to the consultation. The Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances is independent of the Department and will also review the responses.

Department of Health and Social Care: Written Questions

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to answer Question 57363, tabled by the hon. Member for St. Albans on 15 October 2021.

Edward Argar: I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question 57363.

Surgery: Waiting Lists

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what urgent steps his Department is taking to reschedule planned surgeries that were cancelled during October and November 2021 as a result of shortages of beds and staff.

Edward Argar: The National Health Service continues to prioritise those patients with the highest clinical need alongside those who have been waiting the longest. Where cancellations have been unavoidable, all efforts are being made to rebook patients who have been affected as soon as possible.

Department of Health and Social Care: Written Questions

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to answer Question 70280 tabled by the hon. Member for Bristol West.

Edward Argar: I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question 70280.

Members: Correspondence

Robert Largan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to the enquiry from the hon. Member for High Peak of 27 October 2021, reference RL29885.

Edward Argar: We replied to the hon. Member on 4 November 2021.

Ambulance Services: Shropshire

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of (a) the average cost per emergency response and (b) the number of successful treatments of cardiac arrest resulting in return of spontaneous circulation in Shropshire in each year since the regionalisation of ambulance services; and what estimate he has made of the average ambulance response time for callers triaged as having (i) a stroke, (ii) a cardiac arrest and (iii) chest pain in Shropshire for the last 12 months.

Edward Argar: NHS England and NHS Improvement have advised that the cost of a West Midland Ambulance Service incident in 2021/22 is £225.36. No such estimate has been made of the number of successful treatments of cardiac arrest resulting in return of spontaneous circulation in Shropshire. The average ambulance response time for callers triaged as having a stroke, a cardiac arrest and chest pain in Shropshire for the last 12 months is not collected centrally.

Blood Tests: Finance

Janet Daby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what additional support he will provide to NHS trusts on blood testing services.

Edward Argar: To increase the volume of diagnostic activity, including blood tests, we have committed £2.3 billion in capital funding for diagnostics over the next three years. This will fund the launch of at least 100 community diagnostic centres by 2024/25, to tackle the backlog of patients waiting for clinical tests.

Travel: Coronavirus

Mr Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will implement measures to ensure that convalescent covid-19 positive travellers are not disadvantaged by the Government's covid-19 travel testing requirements; and if he will make a statement.

Maggie Throup: While the United Kingdom does not recognise natural immunity for international travel at this time, it is being kept under review. The presence of antibodies does not guarantee that an individual is not capable of infection and transmitting the virus to others.The strength of the protective immune response to COVID-19 varies greatly from person to person. Although it is likely that an individual will be protected from severe disease or death for a period post-recovery from first infection, the duration of this protection will vary and the ability for these individuals to still transmit the virus has not yet been quantified.

Clinical Trials

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many medicines failed human clinical trials that had previously passed an animal clinical trial in 2020 .

Edward Argar: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s Clinical Trials Unit does not hold data for United Kingdom trials where non-clinical or animal safety studies supported development of the medicine in human trials and where that development did not continue.

Hospitals: Discharges

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce delayed hospital discharges.

Edward Argar: The Department is working with NHS England and NHS Improvement, local government and social care providers to monitor and address the underlying causes of delayed discharges. A new national taskforce has been established to focus on the National Health Service and local authority actions required to reduce delayed hospital discharges. We are also making use of non-acute beds in local health and care systems, personal health budgets, hotel beds for stepdown care and bed capacity in hospices. Enhanced discharge funding has been provided until March 2022 to provide the resources needed to support patients to leave hospital as quickly and as safely as possible.

Prostate Cancer: Screening

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with relevant stakeholders on the (a) roll out of Al pathologist technology by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to test men for prostate cancer and (b) potential merits of that testing technology for health outcomes.

Edward Argar: The Department has not had specific discussions with stakeholders.The new Artificial Intelligence (AI) Galen technology was developed by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to diagnose prostate cancer. The Galen application increases accuracy and speed of sample testing in suspected cancer cases and provides clinicians with a definitive diagnosis. It also reduces the need for duplicating biopsies and provides earlier diagnosis in positive cases, which improves patient health outcomes.Imperial College Healthcare, University College London, University Hospital of Coventry and Warwickshire, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and University Hospitals Southampton will be trialling the Galen technology with the potential for adoption more widely across the health system. The trial is funded as part of the £140 million AI in Health and Care Award Programme run by the NHS AI Lab and the Accelerated Access Collaborative.

Attorney General

Slavery: Prosecutions

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Attorney General, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of prosecutions of offences under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 in each of the last five years.

Alex Chalk: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has had considerable success in increasing prosecutions of modern slavery cases involving the exploitation of vulnerable people. In addition to the number of offences charged by way of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, CPS records identify the number of defendants prosecuted for offences related to modern slavery, including conspiracy to commit Modern Slavery Act offences, which is charged under s1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 . The number of defendants who have been prosecuted for modern slavery offences increased from 284 in 2017-18 to 322 in 2020-21, an increase of 13.4%. The increase has been achieved despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

10 Downing Street

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney General, whether she plans to oversee the Government Legal Department in their assistance of the inquiry into the events in Downing Street on 18 December 2020 announced on 8 December 2021.

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney General, whether she plans to ensure full operational independence of the Government Legal Department in their assistance of the inquiry into the events in Downing Street on 18 December 2020 announced on 8 December 2021.

Suella Braverman: In my roles as chief legal adviser to the Government and sponsoring minister of the Government Legal Department (GLD), I oversee the provision of legal support by GLD to all of its client departments, including the Cabinet Office. When advising their clients, GLD lawyers provide advice in accordance with their professional duties and on behalf of the Treasury Solicitor, who is the head of the GLD. The Ministerial Code and Cabinet Manual set out the circumstances in which ministers and their policy officials consult the Law Officers on legal matters.

Department for Education

Children in Care

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the statistical release, Children looked after in England including adoptions, for the financial year 2020-21, how many of the 12,430 looked-after children who were cared for in a family and friends foster care placement on 31 March 2021 had also been in (a) an unrelated foster placement, (b) a children's home and (c) other provision for looked-after children.

Will Quince: The information requested is is not held centrally in the format requested and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.The latest figures on looked after children in family and friends fostering arrangements are published on the Explore Education Statistics platform in the statistical release Children looked after in England including adoption: 2020 to 2021 at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoptions/2021.

Department for Education: Theft

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many of his Department's (a) laptops, (b) mobile phones, (c) memory sticks and (d) external hard drives have been lost or stolen in each of the last five years.

Michelle Donelan: The information is not readily available and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Apprentices

Anne Marie Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the highest performing schools are for apprenticeship starts for level 3 qualified 18 year olds from the latest available data held by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Alex Burghart: The Find and Compare Schools in England website shows the sustained destinations after 16 to 18 study of level 3 students from each school and college. These are sorted in order of decreasing apprenticeship destinations and is the latest performance table data available. Please note that the figures show sustained destinations, where activity has taken place for at least six contiguous months in the destination year, rather than starts. The Find and Compare Schools in England website can be found here: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/schools-by-type/2021?for=16to18&step=default&table=schools&region=all-england&basedon=Student%20destinations&show=Level%203%20students%20-%20destinations%20after%2016%20to%2018&orderby=pupdest_ks5_2021.L3_APPRENPER&orderdir=asc

Apprentices: Expenditure

Mr Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he made of the proportion of his Department's overall spending on apprenticeships that supports people aged 18 to 25.

Alex Burghart: Apprenticeships are available for anyone aged 16 or over, and in the 2020/21 academic year young people under the age of 25 accounted for 50% of apprenticeship starts.In the 2020-21 financial year total apprenticeships participation spend for apprentices of all ages was £1.8 billion. We have spent £835 million on new and continuing apprentices for people aged between 18 and 25.These figures include additional payments we make in respect of apprentices aged 18-25, such as English and maths and the payments we make to employers and providers for taking on young apprentices. They do not include spend on incentive payments paid to employers for hiring new apprentices, nor on wider spend which supports the ongoing delivery of the apprenticeship programme.To support employers to offer new apprenticeship opportunities to young people, we extended the higher incentive payment of £3,000 for every new apprentice hired until 31 January 2022 as part of the government's Plan for Jobs. 127,660 incentive payments have been claimed by employers so far, of which 77% were for those aged under 25 (as of 10 November 2021).In addition, we provide £1,000 to both employers and training providers when they take on apprentices aged between 16 and 18 years old, or 19-to-24-year-old apprentices who either have an education, health and care plan or have been in the care of their local authority.We encourage more young people to consider apprenticeships, by promoting apprenticeships in schools and colleges through our Apprenticeship Support & Knowledge (ASK) programme. This free service provides resources and interventions to help better educate young people about apprenticeships.

Local Skills Improvement Plans

Mr Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to evaluate the effectiveness of Local Skills Improvement Plans trailblazers and Development Fund pilot areas in advance of the full roll out of Local Skills Improvement Plans.

Alex Burghart: We have commissioned an independent external evaluation of the Skills Accelerator pilots to explore how employer representative bodies are leading local partners to develop Local Skills Improvement Plans, and how the Strategic Development Fund is being delivered. This will contribute to the evidence base on how the Local Skills Improvement Plan trailblazers and Strategic Development Fund pilots are being implemented, and inform the development of statutory guidance on Local Skills Improvement Plans and their national rollout.

Local Skills Improvement Plans

Mr Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that bodies responsible for the local skills improvement plans have received guidance on how to prepare those plans.

Alex Burghart: Employer representative bodies who are designated to lead the development of a Local Skills Improvement Plan will be given statutory guidance which will focus on the process by which a credible and robust plan should be developed. This guidance will be informed by the experience and independent evaluation of the trailblazers running in the 2021-22 financial year and our ongoing engagement with key stakeholders.

Local Skills Improvement Plans

Mr Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that bodies responsible for local skills improvement plans have access to local data on youth unemployment at a regional level; and with what frequency that data will be available.

Alex Burghart: When developing Local Skills Improvement Plans, designated employer representative bodies will be expected to draw on a variety of local labour market data and intelligence, including that on youth unemployment and young people not in education, employment or training. In addition to the information published by the Office for National Statistics on a quarterly basis, employer representative bodies will be expected to engage with local Jobcentre Plus representatives to better understand the specific and emerging circumstances for their local area. Our expectations of designated employer representative bodies, in terms of developing a robust Local Skills Improvement Plan, will be set out in statutory guidance.

University Technical Colleges: Domestic Visits

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which university technical colleges have been visited by Ministers of his Department since 1 January 2020; and what plans he and his Ministers have to visit university technical colleges in the 2021-22 school year.

Alex Burghart: Since 1 January 2020, ministers have undertaken the following visits to University Technical Colleges (UTCs):My noble Friend, the former Minister for the School System, Baroness Berridge:Virtual visit to the London Design and Engineering UTC – 18 Nov 2020Visit to Doncaster UTC and Ron Dearing UTC (Hull) – 13 May 2021 My noble Friend, the Minister for the School System, Baroness Barran:Visit to Plymouth UTC – Wed 1 Dec 2021. Ministers plan to make further visits to UTCs during the current academic year, and these will be confirmed in due course. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, there have been significantly fewer ministerial visits to all types of education settings. Of those that have taken place, many were virtual.

Schools: Sports

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress his Department has made on discussions with the (a) Department of Health and Social Care, and (b) Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, on confirming funding for the School Games Organiser network beyond March 2022.

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the impact on schools of the (a) lack of confirmation of funding for the School Games Organiser network beyond March 2022 and (b) uncertainty around the future of the PE and Sport Premium beyond the 2021-22 academic year.

Will Quince: The department is considering arrangements for the primary PE and sport premium for the 2022-23 academic year and beyond. We are aware of the importance of providing schools with sufficient notice of future funding and will confirm the position as early as possible in the new year.Similarly, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) are considering arrangements for the School Games Organisers programme and will confirm the position on future funding as soon as possible.The department is also working to deliver on the nearly £30 million announced in October towards improving and opening up school sport facilities in England, as well as to improve the teaching of PE at primary school. We will continue to work closely with DCMS and DHSC to deliver on the aims of the school sport and activity action plan which we will be updating next year.

National Tutoring Programme

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Tuition Partners pillar of the National Tutoring Programme, what the regional breakdown is of the pupils enrolled as of 8 December 2021; and whether that breakdown fits with his Department’s stated priorities.

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Tuition Partners pillar of the National Tutoring Programme, what proportion of pupils enrolled on that programme receive the pupil premium.

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the School-led tutoring grant scheme, how many pupils have (a) been enrolled for 2021-22 and (b) had at least one tutoring session as of 8 December 2021 under that scheme; how many schools have booked in tutoring under that scheme; and whether those figures are above, below or on target for this point in the 2021-22 academic year.

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the School-led tutoring grant scheme, what proportion of enrolled pupils under that scheme receive the pupil premium.

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the School-led tutoring grant scheme, what the regional breakdown is of the pupils enrolled under that scheme as of 8 December 2021; and whether that breakdown fits with his Department’s stated priorities for that scheme.

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils have been supported through the academic mentoring pillar of the National Tutoring Programme in 2021.

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of pupils supported in 2021 through academic mentoring receive the pupil premium.

Mr Robin Walker: National Tutoring Programme (NTP) participation data has not yet been published.The department continues to collect data from schools for all three strands of the programme (school-led tutoring, tuition partners and academic mentors) and will be publishing this shortly.The NTP aims to engage up to 2 million pupils this year, and to deliver up to 90 million hours of tuition by the 2024/25 academic year.Schools choose which pupils receive tutoring according to their individual needs. However, the £579 million for school-led tutoring has been allocated using the number of pupils in each school attracting the pupil premium. In addition, the department is working to ensure at least 65% of tuition partner tutoring goes to disadvantaged pupils.An independent evaluation of the programme for the current academic year is being undertaken by the National Foundation for Educational Research.

Music: Education

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when he will publish his National Plan for Music Education.

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many times the expert advisory panel on music education has met since it was formed in August 2021.

Mr Robin Walker: On 6 August, the government announced plans to work with a panel of experts from across the music education sector to develop a refreshed national plan for music education. This will shape the future of music education in this country, so that more children and young people have access to a good quality music education. The refreshed plan will be published early next year.The announcement follows the publication of the non-statutory Model Music Curriculum in March, and the publication of the music education consultation report published in August, based on responses to the call for evidence to inform the refreshed plan and conducted between February and March 2020.The advisory panel includes teachers and representatives from the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and UK Music, as well as Darren Henley, Chief Executive of Arts Council England, whose independent Review of Music Education in England informed the original national plan. To date, the panel have met on three occasions.

Ministry of Justice

HM Courts and Tribunals Service: ICT

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to (a) the answers to Questions 100 and 104 of the Justice Select Committee, Oral evidence: The work of the Ministry of Justice, HC 869, 30 November 2021 and (b) the HMCTS weekly operational summary for the week commencing 29 November 2021, if he will make an assessment of the compatibility of his statement that the rollout of the Common Platform is proceeding at pace with his Department's decision to extend the pause to that rollout.

James Cartlidge: Common Platform is used daily in 101 courts across the country. Over the summer, HMCTS took the decision to pause roll out to accommodate the peak August leave season; however, a decision was taken to continue the pause of the Common Platform roll out for the remainder of the calendar year following some slowness of the system being identified which was having an impact on users. This decision was made to allow the programme to identify, mitigate, and resolve this with further roll out of the Common Platform expected to restart subject to governance approvals, early in 2022.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service: ICT

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to improve industrial relations at HM Courts and Tribunal Service in the context of reported planned industrial action by court staff in relation to the Common Platform.

James Cartlidge: HMCTS remain committed to resolving the concerns raised by PCS in the context of Common Platform and, as such, we continue to consult with the union, with a view to reaching agreement. We are currently engaged in constructive dialogue addressing a range of matters presented by PCS and we have already introduced a number of strategies to directly mitigate the issues raised. These discussions are ongoing.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service: ICT

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what (a) cost-benefit analysis, (b) organisational risk assessment, and (c) equality impact assessment for users has been made in relation to the Common Platform.

James Cartlidge: A full cost benefit analysis of Common Platform was undertaken as a component part of the wider portfolio of investment in courts’ transformation. This analysis fully conformed to the Treasury’s “Green Book” - which provides detailed guidance in Chapter 6. Treasury guidance was followed and the portfolio level cost benefit analysis was subject to scrutiny and validation by the Government Major Projects Portfolio in February 2021 and approved, having met the required standard of a robust assessment of the costs and benefits.HMCTS have undertaken a number of assessments for the Common Platform case management system. These were undertaken in 2020 and are currently being reviewed.The health, safety and wellbeing of all HMCTS colleagues is taken extremely seriously. For our Common Platform programme, we have assessed risk throughout, and continue to keep it under review. At an organisational level, that assessment has been documented through a Change Impact Assessment, Public Sector Equality Analysis and a Workforce Equality Analysis, which remain under regular review. At a local/site level, risk assessments for particular areas of risk are documented using standard organisational templates where required. This meets the obligations we hold and satisfies us that risks are suitably and sufficiently managed.

Ministry of Justice: Theft

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many of his Department's (a) laptops, (b) mobile phones, (c) memory sticks and (d) external hard drives have been lost or stolen in each of the last five years.

James Cartlidge: The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) treats all breaches of security very seriously and requires all breaches to be reported regardless of whether there is firm evidence of loss or just an inability to account for some devices. All incidents are subjected to an initial security risk assessment with further action on a proportional basis. It is MoJ policy that all laptops and removable media are encrypted to minimise the impact if a loss were to occur. All mobile phones are deactivated once reported missing to minimise the impact if a loss was to occur. For the year 2017, the following figures were reported as unaccounted for due to being lost or stolen:43 Laptops42 Mobiles12 Memory sticks0 External hard drives For the year 2018, the following figures were reported as unaccounted for due to being lost or stolen:75 Laptops76 Mobiles3 Memory sticks0 External hard drives For the year 2019, the following figures were reported as unaccounted for due to being lost or stolen:117 Laptops151 Mobiles12 Memory sticks0 External hard drives For the year 2020, the following figures were reported as unaccounted for due to being lost or stolen:99 Laptops198 Mobiles4 Memory sticks0 External hard drives For the year 2021, the following figures were reported as unaccounted for due to being lost or stolen:126 Laptops202 Mobiles6 Memory sticks0 External hard drives This information does not include separately reported losses of National Probation/Community Rehabilitation Services mobile phones which have been allocated during COVID to Probation Service Users. This amounts to 4140 low cost phones, either lost or stolen from those that were issued since March 2020.

Prisoners: Rehabilitation

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of issuing guidance to ensure that nobody in receipt of treatment for substance misuse is released from prison on a Friday.

Kit Malthouse: We understand the concern about the challenges some prisoners can face in accessing services and support in the community upon release, especially when being released on a Friday. Through the recently published Prisons Strategy White Paper we are consulting on the issue of Friday release from prison, where we will invite views on allowing prisoners who are at risk of reoffending to be discharged one or two days earlier at governor discretion where a Friday release can be demonstrated to be detrimental to an individual’s resettlement. We want to hear from a full range of stakeholders through this consultation. This will allow us to consider the operational considerations of making such changes in full, including how to structure any approaches that may be taken. Significant work is also ongoing to improve pre-release support and ensure all prison leavers can access the services they need. The White Paper set out our ambitious plans to reduce reoffending and protect the public. We will spend £200 million a year by 2024-25 to improve prison leavers’ access to accommodation, employment support and substance misuse treatment and further measures for early intervention to tackle youth offending. The Probation Reform programme is increasing our probation staffing levels to manage pre-release activities, ensuring as much activity as possible is carried out prior to release.

Prisoners: Personal Records

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when his Department plans to begin recording data on prisoners' family circumstances and caring responsibilities as set out in the Prisons Strategy White Paper; and what data will be recorded.

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the planned publication date is for the collection of research into the numbers of children affected by parental incarceration as referred to in the  Prisons Strategy White Paper; and what steps his Department is taking to address the specific needs of that group of children.

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to ensure prisoners who lack family or other support are being helped to form relationships to support their rehabilitation with people outside or peers inside.

Kit Malthouse: We know that supporting and maintaining positive family relationships is an important factor in reducing reoffending, and positive family relationships have been identified as a protective factor in the desistance from crime.The Basic Custody Screening Tool (BCST) is completed in the first few days following entry to prison, which includes information concerning a prisoner’s parental responsibilities. We intend to amend the BCST questions in the first quarter of next year to enable the recording of data on prisoners’ family circumstances and caring responsibilities. Once those changes have been made, we will be able to access this information centrally.As part of the work delivering on the recommendations arising from Lord Farmers reports into strengthening family ties and intergenerational offending, we will work with other government departments to commission updated research to improve our collective understanding of the overall number of children affected by parental incarceration and the likelihood of those children becoming offenders themselves. We are currently in the process of scoping this research project and will be looking to take this work forward next year. Once we have the research planned, we will then be able to advise regarding when this may be published.We appreciate that circumstances of an individual’s background or the nature of their offending might mean it is inappropriate or impossible for a prisoner to engage with their family. As part of the work taken forward through the auspices of implementing Lord Farmers recommendations, Governors are empowered to investigate alternative options, which will support those individuals, ensuring that they receive the same benefits towards rehabilitation.A pilot led by the Innovations Unit is starting in the New Year in HMP Brinsford initially, before moving to HMP Swinfen Hall. It is funded by the Local Leadership and Innovations fund and looks to adapt the Life Long Links Initiative, which is run in some local authorities, for those in custody. This initiative involves identifying people who were a significant and a positive influence on the young person in prison and then inviting them to pledge support through their time in custody and after they have been released.

Treasury

Economic Situation: Coronavirus

John Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish forecasts of the economic impact of the covid-19 restrictions announced on 8 December 2021.

John Glen: On 8 December, the government implemented its Plan B response to managing Covid-19. This was in response to the risks posed by the Omicron variant. The government set out the economic impacts of Plan B in its Autumn and Winter Plan, published in September 2021. Plan B has been designed to help control the spread of the virus while avoiding unduly damaging economic and social restrictions. A full assessment of the measures can be found in the link below. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-autumn-and-winter-plan-2021 HM Treasury does not prepare formal economic forecasts for the UK economy, which are the responsibility of the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). HM Treasury will continue to conduct macroeconomic analysis to monitor the impacts on the economy from the implementation of Plan B measures.

Citizens' Advice Bureaux: Oxfordshire

Layla Moran: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the funding available to Citizens Advice Bureaus in Oxfordshire in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of funding available to Citizens Advice Bureau to provide debt advice from April 2022.

John Glen: Citizens Advice are funded by various Government departments, public bodies, private companies, local authorities as well as charitable trusts. Details regarding their sources of funding can be found on their website: www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/our-work/annual-reports/ The Government is strongly committed to supporting the financial wellbeing of the most vulnerable in society, and to tackling problem debt; and works closely with the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) and the wider debt advice sector, including Citizens Advice. This is why the Government agreed to maintain record levels of funding for free-to-consumer debt advice in England in 2021-22, bringing this year’s debt advice budget for MaPS to £94.6 million. This is a more than 70% increase since 2019-20 to help more people who are struggling with their finances during the pandemic. The Government cannot comment on the funding sources outside of its remit. Regarding the debt advice funding administered by MaPS for future provision of debt advice services in England, MaPS is currently undertaking a commissioning exercise. This exercise is ongoing and commercially sensitive. This MaPS-led recommissioning exercise is expected to materially increase the amount of debt advice available to people in England and ensure services – including face-to-face provision – are built around customers’ needs. It is also informed by MaPS statutory duty to consider the needs of the most vulnerable. MaPS are in the process of concluding the evaluation of all bids they have received and will provide an update on the outcome as soon as possible.

Small Businesses: Inflation

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of rising levels of inflation on small businesses.

John Glen: Inflation has recently increased in many global economies, including the UK, pushed up by higher energy prices and global supply and demand imbalances. We continue to monitor businesses’ ability to absorb rising costs and raise prices, which is easier at times of high demand (as is the case now). Where cost pressures become more difficult to absorb for small businesses, there continues to be Covid-related business support available, such as guaranteed lending, tax reductions and grants.

Coronavirus: Government Assistance

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide additional financial support to local authorities to assist (a) people who have to isolate and (b) business during the new covid-19 restrictions.

Mr Simon Clarke: Plan B has been designed to help control the virus’s spread while avoiding unduly damaging economic and social restrictions. Throughout the pandemic, the government has demonstrated that it can respond proportionately to the changing path of the virus, and will continue to do so. The Government has a strong track record of responding quickly, flexibly and comprehensively in supporting jobs, businesses, individuals and families if needed. The Government continues to provide funding to enable local authorities to offer practical and financial support to those who are eligible and require assistance to self-isolate. Since the start of the pandemic the government has provided £2.1 billion of funding to local authorities in England as part of the Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF). The COMF has supported local authorities to work with local communities to ensure effective testing, contract tracing in providing these vital services. In addition, the Government continues to fund a £500 payment available to people on low incomes who are required to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace, cannot work from home and will lose income as a result of self-isolation. In March 2021, the Government increased funding to local authorities for the discretionary scheme to £20 million a month to enable local authorities to widen eligibility criteria and support more people to isolate. The scheme is in place until March 2022. As part of our £400 billion package of support, businesses will continue to receive considerable support into the spring of next year. Small and medium-sized businesses can access Government-guaranteed finance through the extended Recovery Loans scheme until next June. Businesses will be protected from eviction if they are behind on rent on their premises, thanks to the moratorium in place until March 2022. Where applicable, businesses can also continue to apply for the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) scheme through their local authority, which is open until March 2022. For the sectors who were hardest hit by previous restrictions and may need additional support, there is further support in place. Business rates relief for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in England is available until March 2022, and hospitality and tourism businesses will continue to benefit from a VAT reduction, paying only 12.5% until March 2022. The arts and culture sector can still access support from the £2 billion Culture Recovery Fund and Sports Recovery Package, the Film and TV Production Restart Scheme, which is in place until 30 April 2022. In addition, the £800 million Live Events Reinsurance Scheme is giving events across the country the confidence needed for organisers to plan for the future.

Children: Day Care

Stella Creasy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of eligible families with children under five (a) have an open Tax Free Childcare account and (b) used their Tax Free Childcare account in 2020-21.

Mr Simon Clarke: The total eligible population is 1.3m families. This estimate is not broken down by family characteristics. The total number of eligible children in those families is 1.7m for 2020-21. The table below shows the total number of children with open and used Tax-Free Childcare accounts for 0-4 year olds in 2020-21:  Month/YearTotal Open Accounts (0-4 year olds)Total Used Accounts (0-4 year olds)Apr-20447,72587,055May-20442,90562,575Jun-20446,180117,490Jul-20460,955157,200Aug-20470,145159,840Sep-20465,120225,020Oct-20464,860232,435Nov-20474,150240,935Dec-20477,185245,065Jan-21490,315230,370Feb-21503,135230,450Mar-21525,770283,095

Culture Recovery Fund: Wales

Ben Lake: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much and what proportion of the consequential funding for Wales resulting from the £300 million uplift to the Culture Recovery Fund the Welsh Government has received as of 13 December 2021.

Mr Simon Clarke: The Barnett formula applies to changes in departmental DEL budgets, not when departments make spending or policy announcements. The UK government has provided the Welsh Government with an additional £3.8 billion of Barnett-based funding this year. It is for the Welsh Government to decide how to allocate this funding across its devolved responsibilities, including how to provide support to the culture sector. If the Treasury provides additional funding to departments in areas that are devolved in Wales, then the Welsh Government will receive additional funding through the Barnett formula.

Treasury: Theft

Sarah Olney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many of his Department's (a) laptops, (b) mobile phones, (c) memory sticks and (d) external hard drives have been lost or stolen in each of the last five years.

Helen Whately: The numbers of (a) laptops, (b) mobile phones, (c) memory sticks and (d) external hard drives that have been lost or stolen in each of the last five years are provided in the table below  20172018201920202021Laptops Lost66713Laptops Stolen112958Mobile Phones Lost242328125Mobile Phones Stolen27311Memory Sticks Lost37600Memory Sticks Stolen00000External hard drives Lost00000External hard drives Stolen00000

Business: Coronavirus

Jane Stevenson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to provide financial support for businesses affected by covid-19 restrictions announced by Government on 8 December 2021.

Helen Whately: Plan B has been designed to help control the virus’s spread while avoiding unduly damaging economic and social restrictions. Throughout the pandemic, the Government has demonstrated that it can respond proportionately to the changing path of the virus, and will continue to do so. The Government has a strong track record of responding quickly, flexibly and comprehensively in supporting jobs, businesses, individuals and families if needed. As part of our £400bn package of support, businesses will continue to receive considerable support into the spring of next year. Small and medium-sized businesses can access Government-guaranteed finance through the extended Recovery Loans scheme until next June. Businesses will be protected from eviction if they are behind on rent on their premises, thanks to the moratorium in place until March 2022. Where applicable, businesses can also continue to apply for the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) scheme through their local authority, which is open until March 2022. For the sectors who were hardest hit by previous restrictions and may need additional support, there is further support in place. Business rates relief for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in England is available until March 2022, and hospitality and tourism businesses will continue to benefit from a VAT reduction – paying only 12.5% until March 2022. The arts and culture sector can still access support from the £2 billion Culture Recovery Fund and Sports Recovery Package, and the Film and TV Production Restart Scheme, which is in place until 30 April 2022. While the £800m Live Events Reinsurance Scheme is giving events across the country the confidence needed for organisers to plan for the future.

National Insurance Contributions

Ben Lake: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the (a) Welsh Government, (b) Scottish Government and (c) Northern Ireland Executive on HMRC’s request that employers use, and software developers facilitate, the payslip messaging functionality in 2022-23 explaining the National Insurance Contributions increase.

Lucy Frazer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer that was given on 29 November 2021 to PQ UIN 78496. The engagement with the devolved administrations mentioned includes the Northern Ireland Executive.

UK Trade with EU: Import Controls

Sarah Olney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate the Government has made of the time it will take the typical import consignment or other relevant unit to clear the UK border from 1 January 2022.

Lucy Frazer: The Government’s priority is to keep goods moving and avoid delays at the border. HMRC use a risk based and intelligence-led response to compliance issues working alongside Border Force. There are a number of different customs checks which could take place, and the time required for a check will vary significantly based on: The type of check required;The nature of the import and the associated risk;The type and quantity of goods examined;The amount of time a trader or their agent takes to provide information at points in the process.

Goods Vehicle Movement Service

Sarah Olney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many registrations to the goods vehicle movement service for imports have taken place as of 9 December 2021.

Lucy Frazer: The Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) is a UK Government IT platform for moving goods into and out of Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales. There were 9,458 registrations to the GVMS as of 12 December 2021.

Corporation Tax: British Petroleum and Shell

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of Government fiscal policy in the context of the level of corporation tax paid by (a) Shell and (b) BP in the last three years.

Lucy Frazer: It would not be appropriate for the Government to comment on the affairs of individual taxpayers.

Tax Avoidance

Sarah Olney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what comparative assessment he has made of trends in the levels of tax avoidance and the increase of people employed by umbrella companies following the IR35 reforms.

Lucy Frazer: On 30 November 2021, HMRC published its latest report on the use of marketed tax avoidance schemes in the UK. The report included estimates of the number of individuals and employers using avoidance schemes in each tax year between 2013-14 and 2019-20, as recorded in its avoidance database. The report is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/use-of-marketed-tax-avoidance-schemes-in-the-uk/use-of-marketed-tax-avoidance-schemes-in-the-uk-2019-to-2020 Estimates for later tax years are due to be published in future reports. The Government also published a Call for Evidence on 30 November 2021 on the umbrella company market, inviting views on the role that they play in the labour market and the ways in which they interact with the tax and employment rights systems. The Call for Evidence sets out the external analysis and is available here: http://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/call-for-evidence-umbrella-company-market The HMRC data suggests that the overall umbrella company market has grown substantially since it first became popular 20 years ago. Many umbrella companies are compliant with the tax rules and HMRC will continue to take action against those that are not. HMRC analysis suggests that at least 500,000 individuals were employed by an umbrella company in the 2020-21 tax year and early HMRC data suggests that usage of umbrella companies continued to increase after April 2021.

Cheques

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with UK Finance on the future of the cheque; and if he will make a statement.

John Glen: Cheques remain an important part of the UK’s payments landscape and, whilst there has been a decline in cheque volumes, they continue to be used by many individuals, businesses, and charities. In order to secure the future of cheque usage in the UK, HM Treasury introduced legislative measures in 2015 to allow UK banks and building societies to introduce ‘cheque imaging’. Cheque image clearing allows a digital image of a cheque to be sent for clearing, rather than the paper cheque itself. Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Democratic Republic of Congo: Dams

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo on the Sombwe Dam plans; and whether she has made any representations on the potential merits of alternative dam sites.

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the Sombwe Dam plans in the Democratic Republic of Congo on (a) net effects on carbon emissions, (b) corruption, (c) rule of law, (d) ecological conservation, (e) national economic development, (f) regional economic development and (g) the livelihoods and rights of local communities.

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the whether the planned Sombwe Dam and associated reservoir in the Democratic Republic of Congo will have a footprint in the Upemba National Park.

Vicky Ford: The UK is aware of the proposed project and the concerns regarding potential environmental impacts on the Upemba National Park. Whilst the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)'s energy needs are great and the mining sector currently relies heavily on diesel power generation to make up for a deficit in electricity, it is also vital that these needs are balanced with the needs to protect DRC's fragile environments and ecosystems.The British Embassy in Kinshasa is in direct contact with the Director of the Upemba National Park and with civil society organisations in the Haut Katanga province where the Park is situated. Civil society have been working to publicise concerns about threats to the Park and the UK are supportive of their efforts. A study on the environmental impacts on the Park is currently underway by the Congolese National Institute for Conservation (ICCN) and we are waiting to see the findings of this study. Following a report by several NGOs, a Parliamentary Commission has been launched to investigate the concerns. The UK will be following up with relevant members to understand the conclusions from this commission.The UK is scaling up its efforts to support DRC to safeguard its environment and adopt a low carbon development path. COP 26 saw an announcement from the UK to contribute £200 million to help protect the Congo Basin forests. Encouraging responsible investment into DRC will be a vital factor in driving sustainable growth.

Iran: Nuclear Power

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of Iran's nuclear programme and its continuing non-compliance with the 2015 deal.

James Cleverly: We are currently engaged in negotiations in Vienna aimed at restoring the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). Iran must now decide whether to conclude the fair and comprehensive deal on the table for the benefit of the Iranian people and economy, or collapse the JCPoA. In this scenario, we would carefully consider all the options in partnership with our allies.

Africa: Coronavirus

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to prevent wastage of covid-19 vaccines donated to (a) Nigeria, (b) Malawi, (c) South Sudan and (d) other African countries as a result of (i) inadequate time for distribution before expiry dates, (ii) inadequate distribution infrastructure and (iii) other reasons.

Vicky Ford: Avoiding vaccine expiry and wastage is a core UK objective in determining when and where we share or deploy doses. COVAX works with African governments, including Nigeria, Malawi and South Sudan, to monitor equitable distribution, allocation, and delivery of vaccines in line with National Deployment and Vaccination Plans and the World Health Organisation (WHO)'s 'equitable allocation framework'. For all bilateral donations, we have sought assurances from recipients that they have the capacity to roll out the quantity of doses offered in line with their National Deployment and Vaccination Plans and ahead of the vaccine expiry date.We are working through the governing boards of Gavi and the World Bank to ensure funding available for in-country delivery is approved and disbursed in a timely manner. We are also working with COVAX, technical partners (WHO and UNICEF), bilateral programmes and the UK's diplomatic network to tackle immediate bottlenecks that can be addressed through focused funding, provision of equipment or technical assistance. We are aware of the recent media reports of large volume of expired vaccines in Nigeria. However, I can confirm that no UK-donated doses are among those expired.

Sudan: Military Coups

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent diplomatic steps she has taken to help prevent a potential further military coup in Sudan.

Vicky Ford: I am pleased that Dr Hamdok has been released and reinstated as the Prime Minister of Sudan following the Political Agreement between the military and civilian leaders on 21 November. The Troika (UK, Norway, US), along with Canada, the EU, and Switzerland, have recognised the Agreement as an important first step towards restoring Sudan's transition to democracy. The UK has helped to maintain pressure on the military since the coup to encourage this, including through securing unanimous support for a resolution on Sudan at the UN Human Rights Council and in statements the Foreign Secretary and I made. Most recently, we called for all parties to take a genuinely inclusive and consultative approach to delivering Sudan's democratic transition at a meeting of the UN Security Council on 10 December.We continue to call for Sudan's transition to be restored fully, for all detainees to be released and for the Sudanese people be able to protest without fear of violence. We also continue to work with our international partners to maintain pressure on the military to deliver their commitments, including through visits to the region by the UK Special Representative to Sudan and South Sudan and the UK Envoy for the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea. Since the coup we have engaged with all parties to encourage progress and demonstrate support for the civilian-led democratic transition.

Overseas Investment

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Building the Network of Liberty speech, published on 8 December 2021, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect of funding projects in the Caribbean and South-East Asia by British International Investment on the (a) amount and (b) proportion of funding through British International Investment that funds projects in Africa.

James Cleverly: British International Investment (BII) is a central part of the UK Government's international financing offer to help developing and emerging countries across Asia, Africa and the Caribbean meet their financing needs for infrastructure and enterprise. BII is the largest G7 development finance investor into Africa and over the next five years will support the delivery of the Prime Minister's G7 commitment to invest up to $80 billion into Africa over the next five years.BII plans to increase the amount it invests into Africa, compared to the last five years. The majority of investments will be self-funded by BII exiting existing investments. The FCDO is currently undertaking a business planning process following the spending review settlement. No decisions have yet been taken by Ministers on individual budgets.

China: Olympic Games

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will publish the terms of the diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

Amanda Milling: As the Prime Minister has made clear, the Government does not believe in or support sporting boycotts, but no officials or ministers will represent the UK Government at the Beijing Winter Olympics or Paralympics.

China: Olympic Games

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether any UK (a) officials and (b) diplomats will be attending the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing.

Amanda Milling: As the Prime Minister has made clear, the Government does not believe in or support sporting boycotts, but no officials or ministers will represent the UK Government at the Beijing Winter Olympics or Paralympics.

Aung San Suu Kyi

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the legality of the trial of Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar.

Amanda Milling: We condemn the recent sentencing of Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint which is clearly politically motivated. Since the military coup on 1 February, the UK has consistently called for the immediate release of all those detained arbitrarily. The Foreign Secretary, in a statement on 6 December, called on the regime to release all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, engage in constructive dialogue and allow a return to democracy. The UK also secured a UN Security Council statement on 8 December expressing concern at the sentencing. The UK remains committed to deescalating the crisis and supporting all those calling for a return to democracy.

Xinjiang: Uighurs

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to evidence in the Xinjiang Papers submitted to the Uyghur Tribunal, what assessment she has been made of the accuracy of reports that Chinese official Chen Quanguo and his deputies Zhu Hailun and Zhu Changjie played a direct role in commissioning the network of mass internment camps in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Amanda Milling: The evidence submitted to the Uyghur Tribunal adds to the growing body of evidence about the situation that Uyghurs and other minorities are facing in Xinjiang. The UK government has consistently led international efforts to hold China to account for its human rights violations in Xinjiang, including by using our Global Human Rights sanctions regime to impose asset bans and travel freezes on Chinese actors responsible for enforcing China's repressive policies. We will continue to work closely with our international partners in holding China to account for the egregious human rights situation in Xinjiang.

Brunei: LGBT People

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what specific issues in relation to LGBT rights in Brunei were raised between the Minister of State and the Foreign Minister of Brunei in their meeting of 9 December 2021; and what the response from Foreign Minister II Erywan was.

Amanda Milling: The UK is committed to the principle of non-discrimination on any grounds, including on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Human rights are universal and should apply equally to all people. We continue to raise human rights and respect of individual freedoms as part of our bilateral discussions with Brunei. In my meeting with the Foreign Minister of Brunei on 9 December I discussed LGBT+ issues, including in the context of the implementation of Brunei's Sharia Penal Code Order. The Foreign Minister of Brunei welcomed discussions on these areas.

Spain: Travel

Stephen Farry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, in the context of Spain’s change in vaccination status requirements for incoming travellers of 1 December 2021, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that those aged 12 to 15 years, who are not yet eligible for full vaccination in the UK, are not discriminated against when trying to travel with family members to Spain.

Wendy Morton: The Spanish government requires that, subject to a few exemptions, everyone aged 12 years and over must be fully vaccinated (with two doses) to be able to visit Spain. In the UK, 12 to 17 year olds are now routinely offered a second dose. Those under 12 years old do not need to demonstrate their vaccination status. Spanish border measures are the prerogative of the Spanish government.

Overseas Aid

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to her comments in the question and answer session following her speech entitled Building the Network of Liberty at Chatham House on 8 December 2021, over what timeframe she plans to restore budgets for Official Development Aid for (a) women and girls and (b) humanitarian aid; and to what level those budgets are planned to be restored.

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to her comments in the question and answer session following her speech entitled Building the Network of Liberty at Chatham House on 8 December 2021, which multilateral ODA funding programmes her Department plans to reduce as part of the restoration of funding to women and girls and humanitarian aid referred to during that event.

Vicky Ford: We are restoring funding for women and girls and humanitarian aid over the Spending Review period.No decisions on funding to individual organisations have been made to date. This will all be worked through as part of the FCDO's Business and Country Planning process over the coming months. Following the Spending Review, decisions on allocations and individual programmes will be published in the usual way.

Tigray: Detainees

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the special session of the United Nations Human Rights Council on 17 December 2021, if she will discuss with international partners the wellbeing of men and women considered to be of fighting age who have allegedly been subjected to systematic mass detention in western Tigray.

Vicky Ford: We have frequently and consistently raised the need for full humanitarian access in Ethiopia at the Human Rights Council and at the UN Security Council. The Foreign Secretary, as Chair of the G7 Foreign and Development Minister's meeting, made a statement on 12 December also calling for unimpeded humanitarian access. The statement also called for an additional independent investigation on human rights violations as recommended by the Joint Investigation report from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission. In my most recent discussion with Ethiopian Government Ministers - with Minister of State Redwan on 18 November and Justice Minister Gedion on 6 December - I raised our concerns about mass detentions, ethnic profiling, and hate speech. We will continue to take all opportunities to raise these important matters.

Ethiopia: Human Rights

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the United Nations Human Rights Council on 17 December 2021, if she will take steps to discuss at that meeting the potential merits of (a) introducing a robust independent mechanism to investigate human rights abuses during the current conflict in Ethiopia and (b) tackling the spread of misinformation.

Vicky Ford: We have frequently and consistently raised the need for full humanitarian access in Ethiopia at the Human Rights Council and at the UN Security Council. The Foreign Secretary, as Chair of the G7 Foreign and Development Minister's meeting, made a statement on 12 December also calling for unimpeded humanitarian access. The statement also called for an additional independent investigation on human rights violations as recommended by the Joint Investigation report from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission. In my most recent discussion with Ethiopian Government Ministers - with Minister of State Redwan on 18 November and Justice Minister Gedion on 6 December - I raised our concerns about mass detentions, ethnic profiling, and hate speech. We will continue to take all opportunities to raise these important matters.

Ethiopia: Humanitarian Aid

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will take steps to raise issues of humanitarian access to (a) Tigray and (b) other areas of Ethiopia at the special session of the United Nations Human Rights Council planned for 17 December 2021.

Vicky Ford: We have frequently and consistently raised the need for full humanitarian access in Ethiopia at the Human Rights Council and at the UN Security Council. The Foreign Secretary, as Chair of the G7 Foreign and Development Minister's meeting, made a statement on 12 December also calling for unimpeded humanitarian access. The statement also called for an additional independent investigation on human rights violations as recommended by the Joint Investigation report from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission. In my most recent discussion with Ethiopian Government Ministers - with Minister of State Redwan on 18 November and Justice Minister Gedion on 6 December - I raised our concerns about mass detentions, ethnic profiling, and hate speech. We will continue to take all opportunities to raise these important matters.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that covid-19 vaccines donated by the UK which are then destroyed rather than being used are excluded from being counted as Official Development Assistance.

Wendy Morton: There are ongoing discussions at the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) regarding how donations of vaccine doses should be reported in ODA in 2021. No decision has yet been made.Avoiding vaccine expiry and wastage is a core UK objective, and determines when and where we share or deploy doses. Vaccines delivered by COVAX are delivered in consultation with recipient countries, and distributed in line with the World Health Organisation's 'equitable allocation framework.' For all bilateral donations, we have sought assurances from recipients that they have the capacity to roll out the quantity of doses offered in line with National Deployment and Vaccination Plans ahead of their expiry dates.

Belarus: Poland

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure migrants on the Poland-Belarus border are able to access humanitarian assistance.

Wendy Morton: As the Foreign Secretary wrote on 14 November [https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/we-must-stand-together-for-freedom-and-democracy], the situation at the Polish border marks the latest step by the Lukashenko regime to undermine regional security. He is using desperate migrants as pawns in his bid to create instability and to cling on to power regardless of the human cost. We have made clear to the Belarusian authorities, including through their Ambassador to the UK, that this harmful, aggressive and exploitative behaviour must stop.The UK is supporting its humanitarian partners to help alleviate the suffering of migrants at the border, including through our contributions to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund, organised by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and through our political advocacy. As President of the G7, the UK led on an 18 November Foreign Ministers statement, which called on the Belarusian regime to provide international organisations with immediate and unhindered access to deliver humanitarian assistance. We were also pleased to send a small team of personnel to Poland to provide engineering support to ease pressure at the border. The Foreign Secretary discussed the situation with her Polish counterpart on 16 November, reiterating the UK's support and solidarity with Poland.

Myanmar: Ukraine

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she made representations on ending Ukrainian supply of arms to the Myanmar military in her meeting with her Ukrainian counterpart on 8 December 2021.

Wendy Morton: The UK is a longstanding supporter of an arms embargo on Myanmar. Since the coup, we have intensified efforts to stem the flow of weapons and duel-use goods reaching the military, through the G7, UN and with other close partners. We noted, with concern, the reports of arms sales from Ukraine to Myanmar but are pleased that Ukraine signed up to the UN General Assembly Resolution in July, which commits to preventing the flow of arms to Myanmar. The British Embassy in Kyiv has also engaged directly with the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the issue, and coordinated with partners on lobbying efforts. We continue to urge them to ensure they are delivering on their commitments. The UK is coordinating with partners to further investigate any allegations of arms sales, and engage and apply pressure on those countries who continue to enable the flow of weapons to Myanmar.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government supports the OECD proposal to value donations of excess covid-19 vaccine doses in Official Development Assistance at 6.72 USD.

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the DAC Working Party on Development Finance Statistics of 8 December 2021, whether the Government supports the conclusion that the price of USD 6.72 per dose sets the right incentives to expand the roll out of vaccines to the world’s poorest and most vulnerable countries, while also protecting the integrity of ODA and avoiding ODA inflation that might come at the expense of humanitarian and development programmes in developing countries.

Wendy Morton: The OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) has made a proposal on valuing donations of COVID-19 vaccines in 2021. Discussions are ongoing between DAC members, and within government. As yet, there is no consensus amongst DAC members. We are asking for certain clarifications on the proposal before making a final decision on whether or not to support this proposal.

Developing Countries: Poliomyelitis

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much funding the Government plans to allocate to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in (a) 2022 and (b) 2023.

Wendy Morton: The UK is a strong supporter of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) having provided £1.37 billion in total since 1995. Commitments to GPEI in 2022 and 2023 will be determined as part of the Spending Review.

Somalia: Peacekeeping Operations

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her counterparts in (a) partner donor countries to the African Union Mission in Somalia, (b) the African Union, (c) the Federal Government of Somalia and other relevant stakeholders in Somalia on the future of that mission.

Vicky Ford: The UK regularly engages international partners on the security situation in Somalia, including the threat from Al Shabaab, the role of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and Somalia's ongoing needs for international support as it transitions to take greater control of its own security. The UN Security Council (UNSC) mandate for AMISOM runs until 31 December 2021. A UNSC briefing on Somalia took place on 17 November, during which the UK - as 'pen-holder' - reiterated the need for progress on discussions on a successor mission to AMISOM to support the transition to Somali-led security in accordance with the Somalia Transition Plan. Senior officials, and ministers when required, liaise with their interlocutors as a matter of due course, including: the African Union, Troop Contributing Countries and the Federal Government of Somalia, to ensure that planning for a future mission can realistically meet objectives for transition while maintaining appropriate security levels; donor partners, to ensure appropriate funding mechanisms and levels of resources; and others in the UNSC who will be involved in formulating a future mandate. We continue to work with all relevant international partners on our collective interests in supporting long-term security and stability in Somalia and how a future mission can meet those shared objectives.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Official Hospitality

Florence Eshalomi: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether any social events took place between three or more people within her Departmental buildings between (a) 5 November 2020 and 1 December 2020 and (b) 16 December 2020 and 22 February 2021.

Amanda Milling: This information is not collected. At the time, staff were expected to work from home and undertake meetings remotely, wherever possible.

Pakistan: Animal Welfare

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what progress her Department has made in promoting animal welfare in Pakistan (a) in general and (b) in relation to the practice of keeping Himalayan brown bears in captivity for entertainment and dancing purposes.

James Cleverly: The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs published its Action Plan for Animal Welfare on 12 May 2021 setting out the Government's plans, aims and ambitions in this policy area. The Action Plan for Animal Welfare demonstrates this Government's commitment to a brighter future for animals both at home and abroad. Our exit from the EU affords us the opportunity to raise our already high domestic animal welfare standards, to act as a dynamic leader on the world stage, and to introduce measures and protections which are right in principle.The UK Government is also at the forefront of international efforts to protect endangered animals from poaching and illegal trade. We are investing over £46m between 2014 and 2022 on work to directly counter the illegal wildlife trade (IWT) in animals and plants, including to reduce demand, strengthen enforcement, ensure effective legal frameworks and develop sustainable livelihoods. The IWT Challenge Fund has committed over £37m to 113 projects around the world since it was launched at the London IWT Conference in 2014. The UK is also contributing £250m to the Global Environment Facility between 2018-2022, which includes the world's biggest fund for tackling IWT, the Global Wildlife Programme (GWP), and supports IWT projects across 32 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Ministry of Defence

Indo-pacific Region: Warships

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost has been of maintaining the seven month deployment of the Carrier Strike Group to the Indo-Pacific to date.

James Heappey: The additional operating cost of deploying the Carrier Strike Group is currently estimated at £74 million, this covers any costs incurred above what those personnel and capabilities deployed would usually cost to defence, for example fuel costs, operational allowances, and other incidental costs. Further work is ongoing to refine those cost estimates and provide a final figure.

Indo-pacific Region: Warships

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with what countries the carrier strike group has had (a) engagements and (b) military exercises to date; and what those engagements and military exercises were.

James Heappey: The table below sets out the countries and/or overseas territories that the UK Carrier Strike Group has interacted with during the 2021 deployment. This also includes activity undertaken by our Integrated Partners, the Netherlands and United States. Country/ Overseas TerritoryEngagementMilitary ExerciseAustraliaN/APassing Exercise (PASSEX), air interaction, Exercise BERSAMA GOLD. (Five Powers Defence Arrangements Exercise hosted by Malaysia with participants from Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the UK.) Maritime Partnership Exercise (with US and Japan). Press ReleaseBahrainParticipation in the CDS-led Dragon Group. Press ReleaseN/ABangladeshPort Visit to Chattogram. Press ReleasePASSEX with the Bangladeshi Navy, training with Bangladesh Special Forces. Press ReleaseBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryPort Visit to Diego Garcia.N/ABruneiPort Visit to Bandar Seri Begawan.N/ACambodiaVirtual Defence Engagement.N/ACanadaN/AExercise PACIFIC CROWN (Pacific Ocean) South China Sea navigation in company.CyprusPort Visit to Limassol and Larnaca.N/ADjiboutiPort Visit to Djibouti and support to Allied Appreciation Fly Past. Press ReleaseN/AEgyptPort Visit to Alexandria, Defence Engagement.N/AFranceN/AExercises Atlantic Trident (North Atlantic) and Gallic Strike (Mediterranean). Press ReleaseGeorgiaPort Visit to Batumi.At sea PASSEX with the Georgian Navy.GibraltarPort Visit and hosted reception at sea.N/AGreecePort Visit to Piraeus and Souda.N/AGuamPort visit to Guam.N/AIndiaPort Visit to Goa and Mumbai. Defence EngagementMaritime Participation Exercise in the Indian Ocean. Press Release Exercise Konkan Shakti. Press ReleaseIndonesiaPort visit to Jakarta and Virtual Defence Engagement.At sea PASSEX with the Indonesian Navy.IraqParticipation in the CDS-led Dragon Group.N/AIsraelPort Visit to Haifa.Exercise Falcon Strike and Exercise Tri-Lightning (both in the Mediterranean).ItalyPort Visit to Augusta, Messina and Taranto. Defence Engagement, including a trilateral meeting between the UK, Italy and Turkey which was hosted by the Secretary of State for Defence. Press Release Co Host – North Atlantic Council Defence Engagement.Exercise Falcon Strike, transit in western Mediterranean. Press Release Cross Deck of F35 between ITS CAVOUR and HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH. Press ReleaseJapanPort visits to Sasebo, Yokosuka, Funakoshi. Reception and capability demonstration.Exercise PACIFIC CROWN (Pacific Ocean), quad carrier exercise (with two carriers from the USA, one from Japan and HMS Queen Elizabeth), South China Sea navigation in company. Maritime Partnership Exercise (with US and Australia). Passing Exercise in Indian Ocean. Press Release Press ReleaseJordanPort Visit to Aqaba and participation in the CDS-led Dragon Group.16 Air Assault Brigade Joint Theatre Entry Exercise. Press ReleaseKenyaPort Visit to Mombasa. Defence Engagement supported by the Minister for the Armed Forces.Exercise with Kenyan Armed Forces. Press ReleaseKuwaitParticipation in the CDS-led Dragon Group.N/AMalaysiaN/APASSEX, Exercise BERSAMA GOLD.MaltaPort Visit to Valletta.N/AMontenegroPort visit to Bar, Reception and Capability Demonstration. Defence Engagement, including an event led by Minister of State (Lords). Press Release Press ReleaseN/ANetherlandsIntegrated Partner.Integrated Partner.New ZealandNot Applicable.South China Sea Transit in company, Exercise BERSAMA GOLD.OmanPort Visit to Duqm and Muscat which included Defence Engagement led by the Secretary of State for Defence. Press Release Participation in the CDS-led Dragon Group.Exercise KHANJAR OMAN and Maritime exercises with the Omani military. Press ReleasePakistanPort Visit to Karachi.Bilateral training exercise with the Pakistani Navy.PortugalPort Visit to Lisbon.N/AQatarParticipation in the CDS-led Dragon Group.N/ARepublic of KoreaDefence Engagement - at sea reception and capability demonstration.Search and rescue exercise. Press ReleaseRomaniaPort Visit to Constanta.N/ASaudi ArabiaPort Visit to Jeddah and Participation in the CDS-led Dragon Group.At sea PASSEX with the Royal Saudi Navy.SingaporePort visit to Sembawang. Reception and capability demonstration.PASSEX including some limited air exercising, participation in Exercise BERSAMA GOLD. Press Release Press ReleaseSpainPort Visit to Alicante, Cartagena, Palma, Barcelona, La Coruna, and Rota.F-35B Participation in Tactical Leadership programme (TLP).Sri LankaPort Visit to Colombo.Search and Rescue Exercise with the Sri Lankan Navy.ThailandVirtual Defence Engagement.Co-ordinated maritime manoeuvres. Press ReleaseTurkeyPort Visit to Istanbul, with Defence Engagement, including a trilateral meeting between the UK, Italy and Turkey which was hosted by the Secretary of State for Defence. Press Release Press ReleaseN/AUnited Arab EmiratesParticipation in the CDS-led Dragon Group.Air support to Advanced Training and Leadership Course (ATLC).UkrainePort Visit to Odessa, with Defence Engagement led by the Minister for Defence Procurement. Press ReleaseAt sea PASSEX with the Ukrainian Navy.United States of AmericaIntegrated Partner.Further to being an Integrated Partner, the Carrier Strike Group interacted with additional US assets in dual, tri and quad carrier exercises. Press Release Press ReleaseVietnamPort Visit to Da Nang and virtual Defence Engagement.At sea PASSEX with the Vietnamese Navy.NATO*At-sea NATO Ambassadorial visit, hosted by the Minister for Defence Procurement, and capability demonstrations. Press ReleaseExercise Steadfast Defender (North Atlantic), Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 - Operation Sea Guardian (Mediterranean). Press Release Press Release *Whilst not a country, assets from the UK Carrier Strike Group also participated in NATO-led military exercises and engagements.

Iran: Counter-terrorism

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to (a) counter the threat posed to UK national security by proxy terror groups funded by Iran and (b) prepare for the prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran.

James Heappey: The Government has long held concerns over both Iran's destabilising activity and its continued and systematic non-compliance with its nuclear commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action(JCPOA). We regularly discuss how best to address Iranian destabilising activities across government, as well as with our partners in the Gulf, Europe, and the United States (US). Our top priority remains to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability; the Government remains firmly committed to the JCPOA and continues to support negotiations with all parties and the new US administration. We have made clear that we favour a diplomatic solution where the door is kept open for renewed talks between Iran, the US and regional partners. A sustainable solution should not only address Iran's nuclear non-compliance but also its ballistic missile program and its destabilising activity across the region.

Military Aid: Armed Forces

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Oral contribution of 2 November 2020, Official Report, column 5, if he will reinstate his practice of placing in the Library of the House updates on a weekly basis of the military aid to the civil authorities tasks that are being fulfilled.

James Heappey: We will publish details of Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) tasks on a fortnightly basis beginning in January 2022. These updates will be placed in the Library of the House.

Ministry of Defence: Theft

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of his Department's (a) laptops, (b) mobile phones, (c) memory sticks and (d) external hard drives have been lost or stolen in each of the last five years.

Leo Docherty: The following table includes the number of lost/stolen devices in the Ministry of Defence in the last five years.   20172018201920202021Laptops65106239163143Mobile phones50691067325Memory Sticks4883604979External hard drives1338252425  All departmental IT is fully security encrypted. The departmental security unit records and investigates each reported loss from the Department. If appropriate, the police are invited to undertake further inquiries. Any mobile device reported as lost is immediately and remotely deactivated and the contents deleted. The user account on any laptop reported as lost is immediately and remotely locked.

Armed Forces: Conditions of Employment

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the length is of the defined return of service period by role in the (a) British Army, (b) Royal Air Force and (c) Royal Navy.

Leo Docherty: The following information has been provided by the single Services.British ArmyReturns of service (RoS) are not directly linked to roles. However, recruits and soldiers wishing to enter certain trades and career paths may be required to complete specified training courses to do so and then become subject to a return of service.Royal Air Force (RAF)The Initial Training RoS required of Aviators (RAF Service personnel), following their initial Phase 2 professional training, is three years for most personnel and six years for Aircrew. The RoS are not focused on the role an individual is undertaking, but based on the training provided to an individual in order to seek a return on the investment made by the Ministry of Defence in the individual. In addition to an Initial Training RoS, personnel may attend additional training courses throughout their career, some of which also carry a Training RoS requirement.Naval ServiceRoyal Navy and Royal Marines personnel are required to complete a RoS if they have undertaken a course of funded training, taken up a secondment or placement within industry or been assigned into a designated command appointment. Training falls into two areas: initial training, undertaken by Officers, Ratings and Other Ranks prior to joining the trained strength; and further training, undertaken by those who have joined the trained strength.

Armed Forces: Immigration

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Immigration Costs for Armed Forces Personnel Consultation, what evidence his Department used to decide the 12-year threshold for settlement fee waiver; and if he will make a statement.

Leo Docherty: 12 years reflects the full initial engagement period for all three Services.

Afghanistan: Refugees

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Afghan nationals deemed eligible for relocation to the UK were successfully evacuated before 28 August 2021; and what proportion (a) received letters of eligibility (b) received letters of eligibility and were called forward to Hamid Karzai International Airport.

James Heappey: Approximately 7,000 Afghan Nationals were evacuated to the UK under the ARAP Scheme between 1 April and 28 August 2021. All necessary precaution was taken to ensure that established processes were abided by during OP PITTING. However, whilst the fast-moving situation developed, military and civilian personnel on the ground exercised an appropriate level of due diligence, balancing the urgent need to evacuate and the imminent threat to life. As a result the information requested is not held.

Merlin Helicopters: Expenditure

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 22 November 2021 to Question 76577, on Merlin Helicopters: Expenditure, whether the incorrect recording of Merlin component lives leading to the fruitless payment of £20.995 million is related to the loss of Merlin Helicopter engineering record cards referred to in the fruitless payments section on page 160 of the Ministry of Defence Annual Reports and Accounts 2011-12 resulting in a fruitless payment of £564,000.

Jeremy Quin: The two fruitless payments covered in these Annual Report and Accounts (ARAc) entries relate to separate events. The fruitless payment of £20.995 million, referenced in the Department's ARAc financial year (FY) 2014-15, reflect additional costs incurred under the Integrated Merlin Operational Support contract including a period of reduced aircraft availability in delivery of the Merlin Capability Sustainment Programme. There were underlying issues with some aspects of data and asset management on this platform within the Department leading to additional costs under the support contract and as a result of limiting availability of aircraft for a capability sustainment programme. The £0.564 million fruitless payment covered in the FY2011-12 ARAc relates to the same Operational Support Contract. The payment was for additional costs that were incurred by the supplier due to the loss within the Ministry of Defence of a number of Engineering Record Cards. Component lives and the consumption of these lives as well as records of modification, repair and overhaul, were recorded on the cards. Without this information, worst case assumptions (penalty lives) had to be made about the life of components in order to be assured that the aircraft remained safe, which increased the need for maintenance and replacement parts.The Department has since reviewed and improved its procedures, including the use of new record-keeping software, to avoid further such costs arising.

Ajax Vehicles: Procurement

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many vehicle boxes have been delivered by GD from Spain to the factory in Wales.

Jeremy Quin: 296 Ajax Hulls have been delivered to the GD factory in Wales.

Navy: Shipping

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in the context of his Department's decision to buy up to 61 new intercept vessels, which vessels they will be replacing; when the Department will tender for the design of those new vehicles; and what estimate his Department has made of the cost of the contract.

Jeremy Quin: A tender was issued on 10 December 2021 for the procurement of up to 61 new intercept vessels. The deadline for tender response is 4 February 2022 after which responses will be assessed against the various assessment criteria. It is expected that the Invitation to Negotiate will be issued in March 2022. The Intercept and Escort Craft project's aim is to replace the following craft variants:· Avon Sea Rider· Pacific 22 and 24· Arctic 24· Delta Dive Rigid Inflatable BoatsThe project will reduce the number of variants currently operated while upgrading capability.The estimated tender value has been advertised at between £16 million and £26 million.

Air Force: Carbon Emissions

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what dates meetings have taken place as part of the Global Air Chiefs Climate Change Initiative since its launch by the Chief of the Air Staff.

Jeremy Quin: Since the launch of the Global Air Chiefs Climate Change Initiative in July 2021, the following meetings have taken place:19 October 2021 - Deputy Chiefs' Meeting, led by the Royal Air Force;30 November 2021 - Mission Planning and Execution working group meeting, led by the United States Air Force.The 19 October meeting hosted by the RAF brought together participants from 41 different nations both in person and virtually.A number of workstrands have been developed with further meetings planned in 2022.

Department for Work and Pensions

Social Security Benefits: Disability and Health

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the findings of the report entitled The Uses of Health and Disability Benefits, commissioned by her Department from the National Centre for Social Research.

Chloe Smith: The Government considers a broad range of analysis and evidence to support the formation of all its policy.

Invalid Vehicles

Matt Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has had discussions with people who are (a) receiving personal independence payments and (b) over the age of 65 on the provision of mobility vehicles.

Chloe Smith: Our Health and Disability Green Paper Shaping Future Support included a section on disabled people’s mobility needs, inviting people to share their views on whether the Department met their mobility needs. In the 18 months prior to the formal launch of the consultation, we ran a significant stakeholder engagement programme to ensure that the views of disabled people and their representatives shaped the content of the consultation. This saw MPs from across the political spectrum host organisations and individuals from their own constituencies.We are currently reviewing over 4,500 responses from individuals, charities and other organisations who took part in the consultation, and will respond with a White Paper next year.

Department for Work and Pensions: Theft

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many of her Department's (a) laptops, (b) mobile phones, (c) memory sticks and (d) external hard drives have been lost or stolen in each of the last five years.

Guy Opperman: Lost and stolen16/1717/1818/1919/2020/2121/22Computers (laptops and Surface Pros)0.66%0.17%0.17%0.17%0.06%0.07%Mobile Phones0.37%0.30%0.56%0.57%0.17%0.22% The information for memory sticks and external hard drives is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.All DWP mobile phones and laptops are password protected and encrypted in accordance with Data Protection guidelines.The figures provided combine lost and stolen items and do not include cases where items have been recovered. The majority of these losses/thefts occurred in home/office break-ins and whilst travelling. To put this in context, DWP is the largest government department employing over 82,000 staff and is a geographically dispersed organisation.

Child Maintenance Service: Standards

Olivia Blake: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of the ability of the Child Maintenance Service to respond effectively to atypical cases and resolve errors.

Guy Opperman: There have been no recent assessments made on atypical Child Maintenance cases.

Department for Work and Pensions: Carbon Emissions

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to help achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

Guy Opperman: Our plan for Net Zero will generate thousands of well-paid jobs here in the UK, help us develop thriving, world-leading green industries, strengthen our energy security, and improve our health and well-being. Acting now will put us at the forefront of large, expanding global markets and allow us to capitalise on export opportunities so that the UK becomes an importer rather than a customer of the technology of the future. This is why the government's approach will be tech-led using the best of British technology and innovation – just as we did in the last industrial revolution – to help make homes and buildings warmer, the air cleaner and our journeys greener, all while creating thousands of jobs in new future-proof industries. Our Net Zero Strategy sets out a plan to: Level up our country supporting up to 190,000 green jobs in 2025 and up to 440,000 jobs across net zero sectors in 2030.Build a secure, home-grown energy sector which ends our dependency on volatile foreign gas prices, which will help protect consumers and businesses.Leverage new private investments of up to £90 billion by 2030 levelling-up our former industrial heartlands.The policies and spending brought forward in the Net Zero Strategy mean that since the Ten Point Plan, we have mobilised £26 billion of government capital investment for the green industrial revolution. More than £5.8 billion of foreign investment in green projects has also been secured since the launch of the Ten Point Plan, along with at least 56,000 jobs in the UK’s clean industries.Take a credible and conservative approach to cutting our climate emissions, putting us on track to meet our carbon reduction targets, including our Nationally Determined Contribution (68% reduction by 2030) and Carbon Budget 6 (78% 2035) - building on our successes since 2010.

Industrial Health and Safety: Natural Gas

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she plans to bring forward amendments to the gas management safety regulations to facilitate blending of hydrogen in the gas network by up to 20 per cent.

Chloe Smith: The Government is committed to reaching Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050 and decarbonising our energy system. Hydrogen blending is a potential mechanism in the pathway towards achieving these ambitions. The economic assessment and safety evidence for hydrogen blending is not yet complete. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is working with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Ofgem and the industry to ensure that the necessary economic analysis and safety evidence to support any change to the current permitted hydrogen content is obtained. HSE will shortly be consulting on proposals to amend the Gas Safety (Management) Regulations (GSMR), however as the demonstration of hydrogen blending is ongoing, blending will not form part of this suite of proposals. Exemptions to the permitted hydrogen limit in GSMR can be sought until legislation is changed and HSE has already issued exemptions to enable hydrogen blending demonstrations up to 20 per cent to take place at Keele University and Winlaton in England. Subject to both the economic and safety case for blending being demonstrated, the Government is aiming to make a final decision on blending by the end of 2023.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Land Drainage

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken to review the drainage system to ensure it is sufficiently resilient to manage extreme weather events and prevent flooding.

Rebecca Pow: Sewerage companies are responsible for the maintenance and resilience of the drainage and wastewater networks. The first cycle of non-statutory planning, through Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans (DWMPs), are currently ongoing. DWMPs will become statutory through the Environment Act when the first cycle ends.This planning process will help sewerage companies to fully assess wastewater network capacity and develop collaborative solutions with local authorities and other bodies who are responsible for parts of the drainage system.

Shellfish: Tees Valley

Mr Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) Cefas and (b) the Environment Agency on investigating the cause of the deaths of crabs, lobster and other crustacea along the Tees Valley coastline.

Rebecca Pow: Defra, Cefas, MMO and the Environment Agency (EA), along with other agencies, are continuing to collaborate on the investigation into the cause of death of crustacea along the Tees Valley and other parts of the coastline in the north east. The EA and Cefas have undertaken extensive tests to try to determine the cause and are reviewing the evidence gathered since the start of this incident, as well as considering any additional work needed. Previously, chemical pollution was ruled out by the EA as a likely cause for the mortality.

Wood-burning Stoves

Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to reduce the scope for flexibility in appliance emissions testing procedures for particulate matter from wood burning stoves.

Jo Churchill: In Smoke Control Areas an appliance needs to be exempt to burn unauthorised fuels, based on a standardised protocol. From January 2022, only Ecodesign-compliant stoves will be able to enter the market for sale across the country. The UK is working with industry to consider the effectiveness of testing procedures under Ecodesign.

Pigs: Bovine Tuberculosis

Greg Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish the number of (a) negative or (b) inconclusive Bovine Tuberculosis first culture tests on pigs that have subsequently returned a positive test result on the second culture in each of the last three years.

Jo Churchill: Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic, infectious and primarily respiratory disease caused by the slow-growing bacterium Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis). It is mainly a disease of cattle and other bovines, but it can affect a wide range of mammal species, including pigs. TB is a notifiable disease in pigs and other non-bovine farmed animals. This means that suspected lesions of TB detected in the carcases of those animals during veterinary post-mortem examination or routine post-mortem meat inspection in the slaughterhouse must be reported to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) without delay. APHA will place the affected herd under precautionary movement restrictions pending completion of bacteriological culture and whole-genome sequencing to try to identify the bovine TB bacterium from those lesions in the laboratory. On certain occasions it becomes necessary to repeat an initial negative culture and, because M. bovis is a slow-growing bacterium, this will substantially increase the turnaround time for the final laboratory results. The numbers of primary cultures and re-cultures are shown in the table below, along with the results thereof.  201620172018201920202021Primary culture112171245122115131Re-cultures66901285589122Percentage re-culture59%53%52%45%77%93%Primary cultureNegative851402141019232M. bovis detected2521251361M. microti detected200121Other010671597 112171245122115131Re-culturesNegative6385123527432M. bovis detected142020M. microti detected200111Other01321289 66901285589122  The higher percentage of re-cultures in 2020 and 2021 are due in part to a decision that all pig samples sent from the bovine TB Low Risk Area of England and all of Scotland should be subject to primary culture and secondary culture, conducted simultaneously (in parallel) in order to minimise the time the affected herd is under precautionary movement restrictions. The large number of ‘other’ results in 2021 is due to a large proportion of cultures that had not yet completed the full incubation time at the time the data were extracted. APHA has validated a new polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test that can detect the bovine TB bacterium directly from tissue samples collected at post-mortem meat inspection, without the need for bacteriological culture. The major advantage of this new method is that it will typically take only three weeks to report a result from the day the sample reaches the laboratory, compared with 6-22 weeks for bacteriological culture. It is hoped that this new PCR test for TB will enter routine use at APHA for tissue samples from pigs and other non-bovine animals early in 2022.

Bees: Neonicotinoids

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the impact of neonicotinoid Cruiser SB on bee health.

Victoria Prentis: Cruiser SB is a plant protection product containing the active substance thiamethoxam, which is a neonicotinoid insecticide. Approval for the outdoor use of the neonicotinoids clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam on any crops, including non-flowering crops such as sugar beet, has been completely withdrawn in the UK. These restrictions are justified by the growing weight of scientific evidence that neonicotinoids are harmful to bees and other pollinators. Under GB pesticides legislation, emergency authorisations for the limited and controlled use of pesticides may be granted where the legal requirements are met, including that use of the pesticide appears necessary because of a danger which cannot be contained by any other reasonable means. Defra granted an emergency authorisation for the limited use of Cruiser SB on the 2021 sugar beet crop to provide emergency protection against viruses that significantly impacted yields the previous year. Ultimately, Cruiser SB was not used on the 2021 crop as the conditions set by the Government as part of the emergency authorisation for the use of the product were not met.

Pigs: Slaughterhouses

Kevin Hollinrake: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will (a) call a meeting of representatives of the pig sector supply chain for the purposes of investigating the take up of (i) temporary visas for skilled butchers, (ii) Private Storage Aid, (iii) slaughter incentive payments for the processing industry and (iv) other measures announced by his Department on 14 October 2021 and (b) make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a mandatory Code of Conduct for that sector.

Victoria Prentis: The Secretary of State and I will be meeting with pig processors on Thursday 16 December to discuss various issues including the take up of measures that the Government announced on 14 October 2021.The Agriculture Act 2020 contains powers to introduce statutory codes of contractual practice which would apply to businesses when purchasing agricultural products directly from farmers. We are in close touch with key representatives from the pig sector and we want to explore how best to tackle any contractual unfairness.

Fisheries: Exports

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications have been made for compensation for lost sales under the Seafood Disruption Support Scheme; what proportion of applications to that scheme were accepted for payment; what proportion of successful applications to that scheme were paid out to the full amount requested; and what the average payout was to firms in receipt of compensation payments under that scheme.

Victoria Prentis: The Seafood Disruption Support Scheme (SDSS) was launched in February 2021 to help seafood businesses cover a proportion of verifiable losses that occurred during export to the single market in January. The scheme was designed in line with Government public funding principles, which apply strict conditions and evidence requirements to business to ensure that taxpayers’ money is spent responsibly. In February the scheme received 119 applications across the UK with 31 applicants meeting the criteria for the scheme. Successful applicants were eligible for 50% of their verifiable loss, up to a value of £100,000. Defra can confirm that the total amount delivered through the scheme was £377,138.11.Alongside the SDSS, Defra also delivered the Seafood Response Fund (SRF), which made payments to cover the fixed costs of catching and shellfish aquaculture businesses. The SRF provided funding to some businesses which were unsuccessful under the SDSS scheme.In total over £22 million was delivered through both UK-wide and devolved emergency schemes in 2021, of which £16 million was provided directly by Defra.Financial support was only one of the many actions taken by this Government to alleviate the pressures faced in early 2021 as a result of export disruption. Defra’s priority has always been to keep exports moving – which is why the Government acted swiftly to form the Seafood Exports Working Group and the Scottish Seafood Exports Taskforce, working closely with industry to identify and address priority issues to minimise disruption to trade flows. Through ongoing engagement with the EU, Defra has been able to resolve a number of issues with the EU and improved consistency between Border Control Posts, such as certification for organic salmon, ink colour on export health certificates (EHC), and which species are exempt from catch certificate requirements.

Neonicotinoids

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect of the Environment Act 2021 on use of neonicotinoid Cruiser SB.

Victoria Prentis: When revising or making new policy on pesticides, the Secretary of State will take into account the relevant duties in the Environment Act.

Shellfish: Tees Valley

Mr Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the levels of compensation required to support fishermen on the Tees Valley coast affected by the large scale deaths of crustacea in that area.

Victoria Prentis: No assessment of the potential for compensation has been made as the investigation into the cause of the mass mortality is ongoing. The Department along with its Arm’s Length Bodies are undertaking extensive testing and engaging with fishermen and their representatives to get a fuller understanding of the incident.

Pigs

Kevin Hollinrake: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will call a meeting of representatives of the pig sector supply chain to investigate the take up of measures announced by his Department on 14 October 2021.

Victoria Prentis: The Secretary of State and I will be meeting pig processors on Thursday 16 December to discuss various issues including the take up of measures that the Government announced on 14 October 2021.

Floods

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he plans to take to rapidly protect communities that experience flooding in winter 2021-22.

Rebecca Pow: The Environment Agency (EA) is prepared to take action this winter wherever it is needed. It has 6,000 trained staff, 40km of temporary barriers and over 250 mobile pumps that can be deployed anywhere in England within 48 hours. The EA will use its flood warning system to directly alert those at risk when flooding is expected. If flood defences are damaged during the winter, the EA will take rapid action to carry out temporary repairs or put in place contingency measures to keep communities safe.

Land Drainage

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of mandating the use of SuDs where recommended in planning.

Rebecca Pow: The Government is reviewing the case for implementing Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 in England. Schedule 3 was designed to set ministerial standards for the construction of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) on new developments. This review will look at the benefits and impacts of implementation as well as alternative methods for ensuring that SuDS are incorporated in future developments and maintained after construction.

Floods: Housing

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions has he had with Flood Re on extending the scheme to homes built after 2009 that are not protected by resilience measures.

Rebecca Pow: Engagement with Flood Re is frequent, however, there is no intention to extend the Scheme to include homes built after 2009. Changes to planning policy in 2006 set out that inappropriate development in floodplains should be avoided and local planning authorities must consider the strict tests in the National Planning Policy Framework that protect people and property from flooding. Where development is necessary in a flood risk area, it should be made safe for its lifetime, without increasing flood risk elsewhere, and be appropriately flood resistant and resilient. In July 2021 the Framework was strengthened further to ensure that all sources of flood risk are considered during plan making and providing a clear definition of what it means for a property to be resilient to flooding. This also includes clearly defining that properties should be built to be quickly recoverable in the event of flooding, without significant refurbishment.

River Tees: Dredging

Mr Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will publish the risk assessments and relevant documents relating to the dredging on the River Tees in September and October 2021.

Rebecca Pow: All applications, decisions and supporting documentation associated with licensed dredging activity are published on the Marine Licensing public register. This includes the results of sampling and testing undertaken in accordance with international guidance developed to ensure this activity does not harm marine life.

Sewage: Rivers

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of instructing the Environment Agency to require water providers to publish their mapped sewage pollution data for areas in which they have sewage outlets in rivers or watercourses.

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of requiring water providers to produce live day-to-day reporting of sewage discharges into rivers and watercourses they are responsible for.

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of regulations on water providers on notifying customers of sewage discharges those companies are responsible for into rivers and watercourses.

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of including a Budds Farm treatment centre within the storm overflow discharge reduction plan.

Rebecca Pow: Working with water companies, the Environment Agency has concluded a programme to install Event Duration Monitors (EDM) on the vast majority of storm overflows, just over 80% of overflows in England, by the end of 2020. These monitors provide a robust and consistent way of monitoring how often and for how long storm overflows are used. By the end of 2023, the remaining number will be monitored.Our landmark Environment Act places a direct duty on Water Companies and the Environment Agency to publish this sewage discharge data, building on the commitments to openness and transparency made through the Defra led Storm Overflows taskforce. This data was published for the first time in March 2021 for data in 2020.The Environment Act also goes further, requiring water companies to monitor both the upstream and downstream impacts of their assets and to notify of spills in near real time (within 1 hour). The government will be bringing forward implementing legislation in respect of these duties in due course. The Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan, also legislated for in the Environment Act, is due to be published in September 2022.It will be up to individual water companies to take account of the Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan and other guidance when considering specific local projects to be included as part of their business plans.

Shellfish: Tees Valley

Mr Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support his Department has given to fishermen and coastal communities affected by the mass deaths of crustacea on the Tees Valley coast.

Rebecca Pow: Defra has regularly updated stakeholders and attended a public meeting on 14 December with the industry and its representatives. This gave an opportunity for industry to raise concerns and to hear actions taken to date as part of the multi-agency response to ascertain and address any potential cause for the mortality. Advice to fishermen and coastal communities has been provided in relation to food safety and hygiene practice, and we remain in close contact with fishermen and others to fully understand the impacts of the incident.

Home Office

Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority

Holly Lynch: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether an equality impact assessment was conducted prior to the creation of the Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority; and whether an estimate was made on the additional cost of having two National Referral Mechanism decision making bodies in place.

Holly Lynch: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to publish any consultation undertaken by her Department on the creation of the Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority.

Tom Pursglove: The creation of the Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority (IECA) was an internal restructure within the Home Office and no public consultation occurred. A full assessment of the Public Sector Equality Duty was undertaken and in line with our ongoing duty, will be kept under review.The change is part of a wider approach to ensure decision making is streamlined and funding for the IECA is being built into our plans for the next fiscal year.

UK Border Force: Staff

Dr Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the vulnerability of Border Force personnel to viral infection from direct contact with large numbers of asylum seekers rescued in the English Channel; what steps she plans to take in conjunction with the Department for Health and Social Care to help ensure that such Border Force personnel are able to be fully vaccinated as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a statement.

Tom Pursglove: All Home Office employees are working to a COVID safe system of work when conducting frontline duties during the pandemic. This includes robust control measures when working with passengers, migrants or encountering symptomatic persons around the country or at sea. Migrants arriving via the English Channel are predominantly taken to Tug Haven where they are provided with facemasks and tested. France is not a red-list country and therefore the risk posed to officers is similar to that of larger ports around the country.All frontline staff are working to the controls within the risk assessment and safe systems of work such as social distancing wherever possible, mandatory use of type 2R PPE masks and gloves.Home Office employees are not prioritised for vaccinations and as of Wednesday 15th December, all over 18’s will be eligible to receive the booster jab which we strongly encourage staff to get.

Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority

Stuart C McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what impact assessment her Department has undertaken on the creation of the Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority; and what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the creation of that Authority on the willingness of victims of trafficking to enter the National Referral Mechanism.

Tom Pursglove: The creation of the Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority (IECA) was an internal restructure within the Home Office. A full assessment of the Public Sector Equality Duty was undertaken and in line with our ongoing duty, will be kept under review.We will conduct reviews of the process and publish data on decision-making times, to ensure consistency and transparency.Immigration Enforcement’s immediate priority is always the welfare of the individual, and to ensure that all vulnerable migrants receive the support and assistance they need regardless of their immigration status. Immigration Enforcement already make decisions on key safeguarding and vulnerability matters, such as the Adults at Risk policy and human rights decisions and will receive training on NRM decisions.

Police: Females

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to increase women's confidence in the Police.

Rachel Maclean: The Government is committed to do everything in its power to deliver improvements within policing and across the criminal justice system to improve women and girl’s confidence in the police and ultimately keep people safe. This includes the establishment of the Angiolini Inquiry which will shine a light on the failings that allowed a serving police officer to abuse his power in such a horrific manner and make recommendations for change within policing.We have published a new Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, which outlines our plans for a national communications campaign with a focus on targeting perpetrators and harmful misogynistic attitudes, educating young people about healthy relationships and ensuring victims can access support.We are also funding a National Policing Lead for Violence Against Women and Girls – Maggie Blyth. The HMICFRS inspection into the police response to VAWG crimes has shown that radical reform is needed. The role will include working with police forces and the Government to make sure action is taken in response to the inspectorate’s findings.The Government will also be looking carefully at strengthening the system of local community scrutiny and the value and use of body-worn video, because transparency is vital.

Napier Barracks

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people are accommodated in Napier Barracks who indicated in their asylum screening interview or ASF1 form that they are either a victim of trafficking, a victim of torture or suffering from mental health problems as of 13 December 2021.

Kevin Foster: All individuals accommodated at Napier meet the suitability criteria. This is assessed via service user’s asylum screening interview, ASF1’s and any supporting evidence submitted by the service user or their representative.Individuals considered vulnerable under the Asylum Seekers (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2005 regulation 4(3) and/or those who have been referred to the National Referral Mechanism as potential victims of trafficking are not suitable to be accommodated at Napier. Further suitability criteria can be found at: Allocation of accommodation policy Asylum accommodation requests - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Asylum seekers allocated to the accommodation have full access to the advisory services provided by Migrant Help and are able to raise issues about their suitability to be accommodated at the site.

Ministry of Defence: Housing

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she is having with the Secretary of State for Defence on the release of his estate's housing at Linton-on-Ouse for refugee resettlement.

Kevin Foster: The Home Office has not had any discussions with the MOD about the use of Linton on Ouse.

Asylum: Napier Barracks

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people in total have been accommodated in Napier Barracks since April 2021.

Kevin Foster: According to local data held by Clearsprings Ready Homes, 1033 service users have been accommodated at Napier Barracks since 9th of April 2021.

Travellers: Caravan Sites

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department’s draft statutory guidance on Unauthorised Encampments, what constitutes significant damage, disruption, or distress.

Kit Malthouse: The draft statutory guidance on unauthorised encampments gives examples of what might be considered by police and by courts to be significant damage, disruption and distress.It is for the police and courts to assess the circumstances and the evidence of each individual case and to decide on proportionate enforcement action based on this.

Travellers: Caravan Sites

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the draft statutory guidance on Unauthorised Encampments on gypsy, Romani and traveller communities.

Kit Malthouse: We have carefully considered the impact the new measures might have on people with protected characteristics, including race and ethnicity, in accordance with the Public Sector Equality Duty under the Equality Act 2010.The overarching equality impact assessment was published in September and is publicly available. Home Office measures in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill: Equalities Impact Assessment - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Metropolitan Police: Labour Turnover and Training

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to increase the recruitment, training and retention of police officers in the Metropolitan Police Service.

Kit Malthouse: The Government is increasing the number of police officers in England and Wales by 20,000 by March 2023. The increase over three years is unprecedented and reflects the biggest recruitment drive in decades.As a result of their hard work and commitment, police forces in England and Wales have recruited 11,053 additional officers, as at 30 September 2021, 55% of the 20,000 officer target.We are working hard with policing partners during this unprecedented recruitment drive to ensure that the right support is in place across forces, including the Metropolitan Police Service. This includes ensuring new officers get the training and support they need to thrive, and supporting the retention of valuable skills and experience.

Refugees: Afghanistan

Brendan O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of resettling any of the Afghan women who were evacuated by the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute to Greece.

Brendan O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the Government's policy is on the eligibility of lily pad evacuees for resettlement under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme.

Victoria Atkins: The first to be resettled through the ACRS will be some of those who arrived in the UK under the evacuation programme, which included individuals who were considered to be at particular risk.Eligible people will be prioritised and referred for resettlement to the UK as set out in the policy statement published on gov.uk on 13 September, available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/afghanistan-resettlement-and-immigration-policy-statementThe ACRS will be focused on people affected by events in Afghanistan, who are located in Afghanistan or in the region.

Domestic Abuse: Pets

Anna McMorrin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department holds data on the use of pets as coercive control in domestic abuse.

Rachel Maclean: The Domestic Abuse Act includes the first statutory definition of domestic abuse, outlining that this can encompass a wide range of behaviours that can affect many aspects of a victim’s life and relationships, including those with pets.Both the draft Domestic Abuse Statutory Guidance and upcoming Controlling or Coercive Behaviour Statutory Guidance recognise that pets can be used as a means to perpetrate domestic abuse, including to coerce or exert control over a victim. While the relationship between controlling or coercive behaviour and using pets to perpetrate this is recognised by the Home Office, we do not currently hold data specifically on the use of pets as part of controlling or coercive behaviour.More generally, data shows that the number of recorded controlling or coercive behaviour offences has increased year on year, with 24,856 controlling or coercive behaviour offences being recorded in 2019/20 (ONS, 2020).

Domestic Abuse: Temporary Accommodation

Anna McMorrin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help accommodate domestic abuse survivors with dogs access refuges and accommodation easily.

Rachel Maclean: The Domestic Abuse Act includes the first statutory definition of domestic abuse, outlining that this can encompass a wide range of behaviours that can affect many aspects of a victim’s life and relationships, including those with pets. The Act also amended the definition of ‘personally connected’, removing the ‘living together’ requirement for the controlling or coercive behaviour offence. This means, as of Spring 2022, the offence will now apply to intimate partners, ex-partners or family members, regardless of whether the victim and perpetrator live together, better capturing post-separation abuse.The draft Domestic Abuse Statutory Guidance published for consultation, and the upcoming Controlling or Coercive Behaviour Statutory Guidance, both recognise that domestic abuse can involve violence or threats against pets. Both pieces of guidance seek to support agencies in identifying and responding to domestic abuse and reducing risk to victims. Finalised Domestic Abuse Statutory Guidance will be issued after all relevant updates have been made. The Controlling or Coercive Behaviour Guidance will be published for consultation shortly.Victims of domestic abuse with pets can face additional barriers to leaving an abusive relationship. The Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) introduced a new legal duty within the Domestic Abuse Act on local authorities, which came into force on 1 October 2021, to provide support for victims of domestic abuse and their children within safe accommodation including refuges, backed by £125 million of Government funding to ensure that these vital services are available to anyone who need them, wherever they live. This includes victims who have a pet. Associated regulations provide clear definitions of safe accommodation under the duty. Local authorities can refer to the regulations to help them provide support in safe accommodation suitable for victims with pets fleeing domestic abuse.

Julian Assange

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will stop extradition procedures against Julian Assange following the comments of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture on 12 December 2021.

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of safety and wellbeing of Julian Assange in respect of his proposed extradition to the US.

Damian Hinds: Mr Assange’s case is under judicial consideration and therefore prohibited from public discussion elsewhere.

Julian Assange

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the detention of Julian Assange on media freedom in the UK.

Damian Hinds: Mr Assange’s case is under judicial consideration and therefore prohibited from public discussion elsewhere.

Refugees: Afghanistan

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will extend the entry clearance period for family member visa applications for Afghan nationals to allow for the complexities of collecting documents from visa application centres in third part countries.

Kevin Foster: The Home Office has recently taken steps to significantly extend the period during which a person is required to collect their documents from visa application centres, prior to entering the UK, from 30 days to 90 days. If a person’s vignette has expired, they can also apply for a replacement by completing the online form on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/transfer-visa

Asylum: Local Government

Jacob Young: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many local authorities have signed up to the voluntary dispersal scheme for asylum seekers as of July 2022.

Kevin Foster: There are currently 168 Local Authorities in the UK with supported asylum seekers residing in dispersal accommodation provided by the Home Office.A further 24 local authorities have no-one residing in dispersal properties but have supported asylum seekers residing in contingency accommodation

Immigration: Armed Forces

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of waiving visa fees for non-UK (a) service personnel, (b) veterans and (c) their dependents who have served a minimum of five years in Her Majesty's armed forces.

Kevin Foster: The Ministry of Defence together with the Home Office ran a public consultation this year. The consultation sought views on a policy proposal to waive settlement fees for non-UK Service Personnel. The results of the consultation have been analysed, and once collective agreement has been secured for a fully funded policy, the Government will publish its response, and make any associated changes to fees through Fees Regulations at the earliest opportunity.

Travel

Wes Streeting: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many travellers are currently arriving in the UK each day on average.

Kevin Foster: The Home Office publishes data on daily air passenger arrivals in the ‘Immigration and border statistics relating to COVID-19’ publication.The latest published information on daily air passenger arrivals to 31 October 2021, can be found in table Air_01, available at:Statistics relating to passenger arrivals since the COVID-19 outbreak, November 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)The Home Office also publishes quarterly data on admissions across all modes of transport in the ‘Immigration Statistics quarterly release’ publication.The latest published information on quarterly admissions to 30 September 2021, can be found in table Adm_01, available at:Immigration statistics data tables, year ending September 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Passports: Delivery Services

Mr Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many passports have been delivered since TNT became the delivery provider; and how many complaints have been received regarding their service.

Kevin Foster: The volume deliveries by the secure delivery provider for Her Majesty’s Passport Office in the UK includes both passports and supporting documents. The delivery of passports alone is not held in a reportable format.From 1 March 2020 to 30 November 2021, 8,286,931 passports and supporting documents have been delivered under the current contract for UK secure delivery services. 1829 complaints, were received about these services within the same period, which represents 0.02% of the delivery volume.

Biometric Residence Permits

Olivia Blake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of waiting times for Biometric Residence Permits.

Kevin Foster: The waiting times for biometric residence permits (BRP) are dictated by the BRP production and delivery processes. We aim to deliver a BRP within 7 working days of the immigration decision.BRPs are produced at the secure delivery facility (Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA)) within 48 hours of the decision being made and are collected by our secure delivery partner the same day. Our secure delivery partner (FedEx) aims to attempt to deliver the BRPs within 48 hours of receipt of the BRPs. This equates to a minimum of 5 working days from date of decision to delivery of the BRP. We have added an additional 2 working days to the timeline advised to applicants to allow us to resolve any production issues.In November, DVLA produced all BRPs within 48 hours of the production request, of which 88.8% were produced within 24 hours. In November FedEx attempted to deliver 99.74% of BRPs within 48 hours.

Napier Barracks

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she (a) has received and (b) is taking steps in response to advice from Public Health England on the (i) ongoing use of Napier Barracks, (ii) covid-19 outbreak in Napier Barracks and (iii) cases of active TB in Napier Barracks as of 13 December 2021.

Kevin Foster: We have not received any advice from UK Health Security Agency on the ongoing use of Napier, however we continue to engage with UK Health Security Agency to ensure COVID 19 is a managed effectively on site.There are no current confirmed cases of active tuberculosis at Napier The one person identified by the NHS was, on the advice of UK Health Security Agency, moved to alternative accommodation on 14 December 21.

Immigration

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the administrative cost is of each (a) Indefinite Leave to Remain and (b) naturalisation application in financial year 2021-22.

Kevin Foster: The Home Office publishes data on the estimated unit cost of all UK Visa, immigration and citizenship services, which can be accessed via the following link: Visa fees transparency data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).The published data sets out our fees as at 11 October 2021. The associated published unit costs are based upon the expenditure incurred by the Home Office in the 2017/2018 financial year. The estimated unit costs are due to be updated following the audit of the 2021/2022 Home Office accounts.

Visas: Migrant Workers

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish the numbers of visas (a) applied for and (b) granted for (i) HGV and (ii) poultry workers given that the application windows for those worker visas closed on 2 December 2021 and 16 November 2021 respectively.

Kevin Foster: I refer the Honourable Member to the response given in another place to Lord Berkeley on 30 November, UIN HL3979.

Members: Correspondence

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Warley dated 18 August 2021 regarding Mr Vieira.

Kevin Foster: The Home Office responded on 7 December 2021.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Regional Planning and Development

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of supporting the Local Trust charity to help the implementation of the Government's levelling up agenda.

Neil O'Brien: The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Sleeping Rough: Hendon

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent steps he has taken to support rough sleepers in the Hendon constituency during winter 2021-22.

Eddie Hughes: The Government is committed to ending rough sleeping within this Parliament, and we are spending over £800 million this year to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping.In total Barnet has been allocated at least £15.55 million in grant funding in 2021/22 to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping, which is significant investment to reduce the number of people rough sleeping in the area, including in Hendon. Through the Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI4) they received £1.12 million which will provide vital frontline services. Barnet received £7.49 million through the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme to deliver 55 longer term homes to those who are rough sleeping, or who have a history of sleeping rough.Barnet received £6.85 million through the Homelessness Prevention Grant including funding to help vulnerable households with rent arrears to reduce the risk of them being evicted and becoming homeless. Barnett were also granted £95,388 through the Homelessness Transformation Fund to provide 16 beds for rough sleepers this winter.

Housing: Standards

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when the Government plans to publish its response to the consultation on raising accessible housing standards for new homes which closed on 1 December 2020.

Christopher Pincher: I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 80458 on 1 December 2021.

NHS: Pay

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 22 November to Question 73974, if he will make it his policy to compensate local authorities for the proportion of the increase to procurement costs for services contracted from third parties that are attributable to the national insurance increase, such as for adult social care provision, where the cost increase will be borne by the local authority, but payroll processed by a third party organisation or contractor.

Kemi Badenoch: The Government has committed to compensating departments and other public sector employers for the increased cost of the Health and Social Care Levy. This applies to employees who are directly employed by the public sector, but not, for example, where services are contracted out.The local government Spending Review settlement takes account of the additional pressure on local government from the Health and Social Care Levy accordingly. More detail on how the funding announced at the Spending Review will be distributed will be given as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement.

Local Government: Equality

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to ensure that local authorities undertake equality impact assessments on their policies.

Kemi Badenoch: Under the Public Sector Equality Duty local authorities are required by law to ensure that they have due regard to equality considerations when carrying out their functions.

Homelessness: Coronavirus

Neil Coyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how his Department plans to help protect homeless people from contracting the omicron covid-19 variant; and whether his Department plans to make extra resources available to (a) local authorities and (b) other organisations for the provision of safe accommodation.

Eddie Hughes: We are monitoring the situation extremely closely and continue to prioritise the health of people sleeping rough and the homelessness workforce.Currently, we are working to ensure people experiencing rough sleeping are encouraged to access vaccination and regular testing.We are supporting local authorities through the £202 million Rough Sleeping Initiative this year, in addition to a £10 million Winter Pressures Fund for local authorities with the highest numbers of rough sleepers. We are in close contact with a range of stakeholders to monitor the situation.

Disability: Social Rented Housing

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to support disabled people living in social housing to obtain the home adaptations necessary to their wellbeing.

Eddie Hughes: Since 2010, Government has invested over £4 billion into the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) to contribute towards the cost of home adaptations for eligible disabled people of all ages and tenures, including those living in social housing, so they can live independently and safely.The Government will commit a further £573 million for the DFG each year between 2022-23 to 2024-5. The Adult Social Care White Paper, People at the Heart of Care, also confirmed that we are taking steps to reform the DFG to ensure the grant benefits more people who need home adaptations, including people living in social housing. Government will be consulting on these reforms in 2022.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: Theft

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many of his Department's (a) laptops, (b) mobile phones, (c) memory sticks and (d) external hard drives have been lost or stolen in each of the last five years.

Eddie Hughes: The following table includes the number of lost/stolen devices in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in the last five years. 20172018201920202021Laptops161827Mobile phones013839Memory sticks00000External hard drives00000All departmental IT is fully security encrypted.The departmental security unit records and investigates each reported loss from the Department. If appropriate, the police are invited to undertake further inquiries.Any mobile device reported as lost is immediately and remotely deactivated and the contents deleted. The user account on any laptop reported as lost is immediately and remotely locked.There has been no data loss or compromise as a result of these losses.

Scotland Office

Seed Potatoes: Scotland

Richard Thomson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2021 to Question 73993 on Seed Potatoes: Scotland, what new markets his Department has identified for Scottish seed potato exports which were not previously available.

Mr Alister Jack: My officials and I fully appreciate the importance of Scotland’s seed potato industry, not only for ware production across the UK but also for export, and its deserved reputation for high quality. Currently, the Scottish potato sector exports to over 40 countries worldwide, with recent data suggesting that the majority (around 80%) of Scottish seed potato exports already go to countries outside the EU, including Egypt, Morocco, Thailand and Turkey, demonstrating that Scottish seed potato exporters already take advantage of world markets.

Cabinet Office

Veterans: Suicide

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent progress his Department has made on its review of veteran deaths through suicide in the last ten years.

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent progress his Department has made on developing new ways to measure loss of veteran lives through suicide.

Leo Docherty: The Office for Veterans’ Affairs has been working with the Office for National Statistics to further develop plans for a ten year retrospective study looking at suicides within the veteran community. We are working with the MoD to access the data required for this study, and this analysis will look at issues including the frequency of suicide within the veteran community since 2011 and how this rate has changed. This study is expected to be conducted with results published next year. The Office for Veterans’ Affairs also continues to engage with the Office for National Statistics as analysis plans are put in place for the veterans data collected in the 2021 England and Wales census, which will be used to produce a measure of the number of veterans who take their own lives each year. It is expected that the first annual statistic on this will be published in 2023.

10 Downing Street: Video Conferencing

Sarah Owen: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many times hybrid meeting technology was used by staff in 10 Downing Street on 15 December 2020.

Michael Ellis: As is common in workplaces across the country, civil servants routinely have meetings both in-person and through remote meeting technology.

Prime Minister: Theft

Sarah Olney: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many of the Prime Minister's office (a) laptops, (b) mobile phones, (c) memory sticks and (d) external hard drives have been lost or stolen in each of the last five years.

Michael Ellis: For management and staffing purposes, the Prime Minister’s Office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office. Figures are not available for 2017. Subsequent figures for the whole of the Cabinet Office as a department are as follows:  2018201920202021Laptops46634032Mobile phones801366987Memory sticks0000External hard drives0000 To place this context, in 2020-21, the Cabinet Office (core department) had 9,248 staff. All departmental IT is fully security encrypted. Any mobile device reported as lost is immediately and remotely deactivated and the contents deleted. The user account on any laptop reported as lost is immediately and remotely locked. The Departmental security unit records and investigates each reported loss from the Department. If appropriate, the police are invited to undertake further inquiries. There has been no data loss or compromise as a result of these losses.

Coronavirus: Public Inquiries

Martyn Day: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the inquiry into the Government's handling of the covid-19 pandemic will include the Government's strategy to secure global access to vaccines and other pandemic health tools.

Michael Ellis: On 12 May, the Prime Minister confirmed that a public inquiry into COVID-19 will be established on a statutory basis, with full formal powers and that it will begin its work in spring 2022. A chair will be appointed by the end of the year. More details about the inquiry, including its terms of reference, will be set out in due course.

10 Downing Street

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the 10 Downing Street Quiz held on 15 December 2020, who attended that event physically; and how Tier Two covid-19 restrictions on that date were complied with by attendees.

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the alleged 10 Downing Street quiz held on 15 December, (a) what the quiz questions were, (b) what the answers to the quiz were and (c) whether any prizes were given out.

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the 10 Downing Street Quiz held on 15 December 2020, at what time did that quiz (a) start and (b) finish; and what the estimated cost to the public purse was of that event.

Michael Ellis: I refer the Hon Member to the answers given by my Rt Hon Friend the Prime Minister at Prime Minister's Questions on 8 December and those given by me in the House on 9 December. Copies of the terms of reference for the Cabinet Secretary’s investigations have been placed in the Libraries of the House and are also available on the GOV.UK website.

Cabinet Office: Correspondence

Angela Rayner: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Cabinet Secretary intends to answer the letter of 2 December 2021 from the hon Member for Ashton under Lyne.

Michael Ellis: The Cabinet Secretary responded to the Rt Hon. Member’s letter on 13 December.

Knives: Crime

Kate Griffiths: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of knife crime in Burton in each of the last five years.

Michael Ellis: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have, therefore, asked the Authority to respond.UKSA response (pdf, 120.0KB)

Small Businesses: Import Controls

Sarah Olney: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government has taken to inform small and medium sized enterprises of the new import processes taking effect from 1 January 2022; and how much money the Government has spent on dispersing that information.

Michael Ellis: Government officials and Ministers meet weekly with representatives of trade bodies that represent SMEs, such as the Federation of Small Businesses and the Confederation of British Industry, to discuss how best to target information at SMEs. We also engage larger companies to ensure they help prepare smaller companies in their supply chains for the changes ahead. The Government has also prepared several freely available tools to assist all traders with the new import processes being introduced from 1 January 2022. This includes the publication and continuous updating of the Border Operating Model; over 200 webinars delivered by the Cabinet Office reaching around 20,000 UK and EU traders to date, and a haulier handbook translated into 17 languages. In addition, our ‘Check, Change, Go’ communications campaign has been designed using polling and insights from SMEs. Based on these insights, all paid for marketing has been developed to target these audiences to ensure they are aware of the effect of new rules in place between the EU and the UK.Given much of this activity falls within standard government business as usual, it is not possible to disaggregate all costs relating to communications specifically for preparing small and medium sized businesses. However the Cabinet Office publishes expenditure on gov.uk, including on public information campaigns on a rolling monthly basis as part of routine government transparency arrangements.

UK-EU Civil Society Forum and Domestic Advisory Group

Brendan O'Hara: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will provide a list of stakeholders who requested an extension to the application membership deadline for the Domestic Advisory Group and Civil Society Forum.

Brendan O'Hara: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department approached any groups to invite expressions of interest after the closing date for applications to the Domestic Advisory Group and Civil Society Forum.

Michael Ellis: An extension to the expression of interest application deadline was requested by the Federation of Small Businesses, European Union Relationship & Industrial Strategy Taskforce (EURIS), Human Rights Consortium Scotland and States of Guernsey on behalf of their stakeholders.The Department did not approach groups to invite expressions of interest after the closing date for applications to the Domestic Advisory Group and Civil Society Forum.

Members: Correspondence

Angela Rayner: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to reply to the letter from Lord Pickles, Chair of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, of 9 July 2021, bringing to his attention a breach of the Government's Business Appointment Rules.

Michael Ellis: The Cabinet Office has noted the advice received from the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments on 9 July 2021 and is currently considering the letter. The Business Appointment Rules apply to all former Ministers and civil servants, and all should abide by them.

Department for International Trade

Overseas Trade: Environment Protection

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps her Department is taking to include provisions relating to climate change, green technology and the protection of the environment in the UK’s trade policy.

Mike Freer: The United Kingdom is a world leader on climate change and environment, which are top priorities in our trade programme. We have facilitated significant multilateral progress on issues such as deforestation and the phasing out of coal at COP26, and will continue to put trade and climate change at the top of the agenda in multilateral forums, including the WTO. In our Free Trade Agreements, we will protect our right to regulate to meet net zero and seek to co-operate on a range of environmental issues including promoting green-tech. We have already agreed such provisions with Australia and New Zealand.

Supply Chains

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps her Department is taking to tackle disruptions in UK supply chains.

Mike Freer: As the global economy has rebounded from this pandemic, we have seen pressures placed on supply chains across sectors and countries. HM Government has taken quick and decisive action to ease these pressures where immediate interventions have been required. All parts of HM Government work together to tackle disruptions and the Department for International Trade seeks to strengthen critical international supply chains, improving the United Kingdom’s security and economic resilience through international trade.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent discussions she has had with her (a) South African and (b) Indian counterpart on the Government’s position on the time limited waiver on covid-19 vaccine manufacture in the global south.

Mike Freer: I shall answer on the assumption that the Hon. Member for Preston is referring to the proposed World Trade Organisation (WTO)’s Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) waiver. Unfortunately, due to the disappointing but correct decision to postpone MC12, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade did not meet with counterparts as hoped. UK officials have met with representatives from India and South Africa on a number of occasions to discuss the issue. These meetings are part of our continued efforts to engage proactively on our collective aim of reaching a pragmatic outcome on the TRIPS debate.

Department for International Trade: Official Hospitality

Alex Davies-Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether any social events took place between three or more people within her Departmental buildings between (a) 5 November 2020 and 1 December 2020 and (b) 16 December 2020 and 22 February 2021.

Mike Freer: This information is not collected. At the time, staff were expected to work from home and undertake meetings remotely, wherever possible.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Theft

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many of her Department's (a) laptops, (b) mobile phones, (c) memory sticks and (d) external hard drives have been lost or stolen in each of the last five years.

Julia Lopez: The following table includes the number of lost/stolen devices in DCMS in the last five years. 20172018201920202021LaptopsNo Data available341519917Mobile phonesNo Data available1329312Memory sticksNo Data available0000External hard drivesNo Data available0000All departmental IT has device encryption enabled, at rest is fully security encrypted.The departmental security unit records and investigates each reported loss from the Department. If appropriate, the police are invited to undertake further inquiries.Any mobile device reported as lost is immediately and remotely deactivated and the contents deleted. The user account on any laptop reported as lost is immediately and remotely locked.There has been no data loss or compromise as a result of these losses.

Broadband: Prices

Dr Luke Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had with OFCOM on the (a) affordability of current broadband contract prices and (b) the ease of switching between broadband providers.

Julia Lopez: DCMS continues to work alongside Ofcom to encourage Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to go further to support low-income families.Following our discussions with the telecoms sector, affordable social tariffs are now available from BT, Virgin Media, Hyperoptic, Community Fibre and KCOM for £15 per month to those on Universal Credit as well as other means-tested benefits. These ISPs operate in 99% of the UK. We continue to have on-going discussions with Ofcom who have a statutory duty to monitor affordability in the telecommunications sector. We also continue to encourage all operators to introduce affordable tariffs.DCMS also continues to work with Ofcom on the issue of switching. Ofcom introduced new rules in September 2021 which are designed to make broadband switching easier. Under these rules, consumers only need to contact their new ISP, who will lead the switching process, regardless of the underlying network provider or connection type. These rules will go into effect in April 2023.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Official Hospitality

Florence Eshalomi: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether any social events took place between three or more people within her Departmental buildings between (a) 5 November 2020 and 1 December 2020 and (b) 16 December 2020 and 22 February 2021.

Julia Lopez: This information is not collected. At the time, staff were expected to work from home and undertake meetings remotely, wherever possible.

Football Index: Compensation

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to publish her Department's White Paper on the future of the Gambling Act; and whether that White Paper will include recommendations relating to the collapse of the Football Index.

Chris Philp: The Government will publish a white paper setting out next steps regarding the Gambling Act Review in the coming months. We are considering all the evidence carefully, including the conclusions of the independent review of the regulation of BetIndex Ltd, the operator of Football Index, which we published in September.

Vaccination: Disinformation

Wes Streeting: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many posts have been reported to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube for anti-vaccine disinformation by the Government’s rapid response unit.

Chris Philp: The Government takes the issue of disinformation very seriously. Since March 2020 the DCMS-led cross-Government Counter Disinformation Unit (CDU) has worked to provide a comprehensive picture of the extent, scope and the reach of disinformation and misinformation linked to COVID-19.The Unit’s primary function is to provide a comprehensive picture of the extent, scope and impact of disinformation and misinformation regarding Covid-19 and to work with partners to ensure appropriate action is taken. Where dangerous and incorrect claims about the virus are identified these are flagged to the relevant platforms, whose responsibility it is to take action in accordance with their terms and conditions. As an operational matter it is not appropriate for the government to give a running commentary on the amount of disinformation identified.

Disinformation

Wes Streeting: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, on what date was the most recent meeting of the Government’s counter disinformation forum.

Wes Streeting: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, on what date was the most recent meeting of the Government’s counter disinformation forum in which anti-vaccine disinformation was discussed.

Chris Philp: The Counter Disinformation Policy Forum was a six-month pilot programme that concluded on 10 June 2021. It brought together social media companies, academics, fact-checkers and researchers in response to concerns about the serious risk of harm posed by COVID-19 and anti-vaccination mis/disinformation.Although the Policy Forum has concluded, DCMS regularly meets with major social media platforms bilaterally and at an Industry Group. This helps further our collective understanding of the issues and the steps being taken to address misinformation and disinformation in order to ensure this issue is tackled effectively. DCMS also continues to engage with relevant cross-sector expertise from across academia and civil society.In addition the DCMS-led Counter Disinformation Unit monitors for false and misleading narratives shared on social media. Where dangerous and incorrect claims about the virus are identified these are flagged to the relevant platforms.

Prime Minister

Departmental Responsibilities

Liam Byrne: To ask the Prime Minister, which Minister leads on the Government's anti-corruption strategy.

Boris Johnson: I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the written statement issued today by my Rt Hon Friend, The Minister of State for Security and Borders.